


Desiderium

by Little_Miss_Bunny



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Action, Adult Arcobaleno, Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Spirits, Angst, Blood and Violence, Crime, Dark Arcobaleno, Dark Fantasy, Deities, Dubious Consent, F/M, Fon is dense, Gore, He can see spirits, Kissing, Kusakabe needs a vacation, M/M, Mild Horror, Multi, Murder, Non-Binary Viper, Non-Consensual Touching, Possessive Behavior, Spirit World, Tsuna is Not Dame, or is he...?, shameless flirting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-06-24 13:05:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 65,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15631257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Miss_Bunny/pseuds/Little_Miss_Bunny
Summary: With their Sky gone for reasons unknown, the Arcobaleno are on a desperate search to find another one before they disappear. When they finally do, they aren't planning on letting him go.(Cross-posted from FF.)





	1. Chapter 1

_Desiderium (n.) – an ardent desire or longing; a feeling of loss or grief for something lost_

* * *

Usually, when it rained, Tsuna would take a moment to bask in the weather by watching the droplets of water pitter-patter against the window. It was an oddly comforting sound that only became more enhanced if he drank some hot coffee or tea. However, he didn’t have the time to enjoy either simple luxury.

A ball thumped lightly on the ground and rolled towards Tsuna’s feet. The young man tucked his white button-up shirt in his jeans before picking up the ball. His lips curled into a small smile. “Lambo,” he said, “I won’t be able to stay long at home today.”

A boy suddenly appeared by his bed, his gaunt face looking even more somber under the shadows. “I know, Tsuna-nii.”

Tsuna tossed the ball his way, only for it to phase through Lambo’s hand. His smile dropped. Lambo was a child spirit that lingered in Tsuna’s apartment building. He had haunted Tsuna’s closet without realizing that he had already died before the authorities found his remains stuffed inside the walls. After they arrested Lambo’s poor excuse of a father, the boy still lingered in Tsuna’s home, refusing to pass over. It had already been two months since then.

The small ball rolled uselessly on his bed from Lambo’s willpower before dropping onto the floor. Tsuna walked over to pick it up again. He forced a small smile and patted Lambo’s messy black hair, suppressing a shiver from how unnaturally cold the boy felt. It was still strange to come into physical contact with spirits. They felt like smoke or a very thin sculpture. Still, Tsuna didn’t think he’d ever get used to it. “I can leave the TV on for you,” he said, grabbing the remote. “Today’s Friday, right? There should be a marathon of your favorite cartoon show starting now.”

Lambo vanished and reappeared again on Tsuna’s couch. “Really?”

Tsuna turned on the TV and shifted through the channels. Most of them were sports and the news.

“—uspect was arrested this morning at his house,” a female reporter said before the screen cut to some police hauling a struggling man out of his door. “Police have confirmed that the murder weapon from the crime scene belonged to Horigoshi Renjiro, who brutally killed his wife, Horigoshi Makoto, in order to obtain her life insurance a few weeks ago.”

Tsuna faltered. He remembered seeing the woman’s ashen face, her arm dangling in a strange angle, and the blood that dripped from her wounds. Closing his eyes, he let out a shuddering breath. It wasn’t Makoto’s state that had him queasy; it was what she said the first time he saw her at the crime scene. “Please!” she said, looking around frantically amongst the paramedics and detectives, oblivious to her plight. “Anyone, is there anyone who can help me? Please! My boys! Where are my boys?”

Tsuna could see the dead ever since he could remember, but it had only been a few years since he used the ability to help others. Most people would say it was a gift; however, they wouldn’t say the same if they couldn’t distinguish the dead from the living. Tsuna wanted nothing to do with the spirits that lingered on earth, anchored by their guilt, anger, or grief. That was until Hibari Kyoya, an old classmate, dragged him to a crime scene and forced him to tell him what he saw, seeming to have remembered his strange ability back in middle school. Tsuna just never expected him to believe it.

“Did you help her, Tsuna-nii?”

The brunet jumped when Lambo spoke. He looked down at the boy who regarded him with an almost reverent look in his green eyes, reminding him of a certain detective at the police station. “Did you?” Lambo said.

Tsuna’s lips twitched into a small smile. “Yeah. Yeah, I did.” He switched the channel a couple of times before stopping at some kids show.

“He’s going to jail, right?”

“He will.”

Lambo lowered his gaze. “Is the scary man going to do it?”

Tsuna crouched to meet Lambo’s eyes. “Yes, Hibari-san is going to make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone else again.”

“Like my papa?” Lambo whispered, hugging his knees to his chest.

Tsuna’s breath slightly hitched. Ignoring the ache in his chest, Tsuna reached out to pat Lambo’s head. “No one will hurt you again, Lambo,” he said. “Not even your papa.”

A moment of silence passed between them, the kids’ show droning on in the background with comedic sound effects. Lambo smiled shyly at Tsuna. “Okay,” he said. “You should go now, Tsuna-nii.”

Nodding, Tsuna stood up and headed towards the door. “Be good, Lambo. I’ll be home soon.”

“Tsuna-nii!”

The man looked up from his sneakers. “Yes?”

Lambo leaned on the couch rest, his eyes shifting towards the window. “Be—Be careful, okay? It’s not safe…”

Tsuna chuckled gently, grabbing his knapsack. “I’ll be fine, Lambo. I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

Lambo opened his mouth, as if to say something else, before closing it. He smiled brightly instead. “Okay! Come home soon, Tsuna-nii!”

Waving, Tsuna grabbed his umbrella and left his apartment, locking it behind him. He released a small breath he didn’t know he was holding. His hand lingered on the door handle, the sound of pouring rain crashing down behind him. The air was humid and smelled earthy. Tsuna headed for the stairwell, his Converse squeaking a little in the empty corridors.

A shiver ran up his spine, and it wasn’t from the cold. His stomach churned when he stepped out onto the wet sidewalk. Some cars drove by, the sound of their engines droning past him. Tsuna was about to open his umbrella when he noticed a familiar black car a few feet away. He pursed his lips but headed towards it anyways. The window rolled down before he had a chance to knock. Hibari, the chief detective of Namimori Police Department’s only homicide squad, glanced at him briefly from the corner of his eye and gestured to the back of the car.

“Good afternoon, Sawada-san,” Kusakabe said from the driver’s seat.

Tsuna frowned. “I could just take the bus, Kusakabe-san.”

“Get in, herbivore,” Hibari said, facing the front.

It should already be routine for Tsuna, having Hibari waiting outside his apartment to drive him to the station, but he wasn’t impaired for God’s sake. He found himself missing the bus. Sighing and with no choice, Tsuna slid into the backseat and fastened his seatbelt. The car smelled like tea and mint, but it didn’t quell his nerves. He looked out the window, watching the rain slide down against the window. The shop lights were only a distortion of colors in the misty haze.

“Did you watch the news, Sawada-san?” Kusakabe said, his deep voice cutting through the nearly suffocating silence.

“Yes,” Tsuna said, “I did.”

Kusakabe slowed down the car at a red light. “Thank you again for your hard work. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without you.”

“Don’t thank me.” Tsuna watched the pedestrians walk around under a sea of umbrellas. A few ran for shelter across the street and entered a café. All these nameless people were a blur to him. It was strange how in one moment they’d be alive and in the next, one would appear before him asking for help. It was even stranger that he was helping them. “Thank Makoto-san. I’m just the messenger.”

Kusakabe shook his head. “Without you, she wouldn’t have been able to communicate with us. You brought her family some closure.” When the light turned green, he started driving further down Third Street. “Speaking of which, they would like to speak to you. They’re waiting at the station. If you don’t mind, of course.”

Tsuna continued watching the various buildings and stores pass by. He tapped his finger against the black armrest to a mindless rhythm. Mostly, the victim’s families would want to speak to him; sometimes, when they didn’t, Tsuna wasn’t offended. He’d just stay with the victim until they finally entered the light. Although, it was heartbreaking when there was no one who wanted to or was there to talk to them. At least, he could remain with the spirit until the end.

“I don’t mind,” Tsuna said.

“Do you see them, herbivore?” Hibari said.

Tsuna furrowed his brows. “Again, that’s not how it works, Hibari-san.” He looked out the window. “Not everyone can be distinguished from the living. Not unless they reach out to me in some way. The answer is no.”

“Of course, Sawada-san,” Kusakabe said quickly. “Kyo-san didn’t mean anything by that. He was just curious.”

“I’ll let him know if I see anything,” Tsuna said, pursing his lips. “He doesn’t need to ask.”

He caught a glimpse of the news playing on the side of a tall, metropolitan building, showing a male anchor talk about the recent killing spree in Midori and Kokuyo. Eleven victims torn into ribbons, regardless of age or gender, most likely at the wrong place at the wrong time. The bizarre murders had been awfully frequent since a few months ago. There were no spirits that appeared to Tsuna though, which was strange because he’d think that they wouldn’t have crossed over without getting justice for their deaths.

“Did you find anything on that?” Tsuna said, gesturing at the news.

Kusakabe sighed wearily. “No. There were no traces of fingerprints, DNA, or anything at each crime scene. Nothing on the surveillance cameras either. We were hoping that you might’ve seen something.”

“No, I haven’t.” Tsuna looked down at his hands, which trembled a bit. “But I’ll let you know if I do.”

“Thank you, Sawada-san. We’re counting on you.”

No one spoke for the rest of the ride. Again, Tsuna wondered how this was his life. Closing his eyes, he thought of his mother’s sweet lullabies and father’s warm laughter. It had been a while since he saw them, but their wary looks were seared into his mind, so that kept him at a distance. He’d just have to bear it with what nice memories he had of them before everything had fallen apart.

* * *

“H—How can we ever thank you enough, Sawada-san?”

Tsuna waved his hands in front of him. “Oh no, Ishio-san. Please.” He helped the old woman up from her knees and, with the help of her husband, led her to a bench nearby. A copy machine whirred softly a few feet away. Twin toddlers in a stroller barely stirred from their sleep.

“She—She was all we had,” Ishio said, dabbing her eyes with a tissue Tsuna handed to her.

Her husband, a man with a stocky frame, hugged his wife comfortingly. “Is she here, Sawada-san?”

Tsuna glanced at Makoto who stood by the bench, her eyes teary as she watched over her sons. The wounds she had were gone and her broken arm was back to normal again. She looked up at Tsuna with a watery smile. “Can you tell them I’m sorry for being a terrible daughter?” she said, sniffling. “That I should’ve listened to them…” She wiped her eyes. “If I hadn’t married him, I would still be alive. What about my boys? How could I do this to them?”

“It’s not your fault,” Tsuna said softly. “Don’t blame yourself.”

Her father looked around the empty hallways. “She’s here, isn’t she? Where?”

Tsuna licked his lips, steeling himself. These moments weren’t kind to his heart. “She said that she’s sorry. She wanted to be a better daughter to the both of you.”

“Oh, honey,” the mother said, sobbing, “you were good, always good to us.”

“We should’ve protected you,” the father said, keeping his own tears at bay. “We should’ve acted sooner before that bastard did. We always thought he was too much of a coward to do this but…”

Makoto widened her eyes. “No! It’s okay. Please, don’t blame yourselves.” She looked down at her bare feet. “No one’s at fault here.”

“She doesn’t blame either of you,” Tsuna said, making the parents look up. “No one would’ve known what happened.”

“Still…” Makoto’s mother clutched her tissue tighter.

“My boys,” Makoto said. “Will they…take care of them for me? That’s all I ask for.”

“She wants to know if you’ll take in her sons,” Tsuna said. “That’s all she wants.”

“Of course!” her mother said. “We already built a nursery for them in our home! Tell her, please?”

Tsuna smiled gently. “She can hear you.”

Makoto laughed under her breath as her hand hovered above her sons’ heads. “I saw. It’s wonderful.”

“It’s perfect,” Tsuna told her parents. “She loves it.”

Soon, Makoto turned around, her breath hitching. “It’s beautiful,” she said.

Tsuna forced on a smile for her parents. “It’s time.”

Her father looked up in shock. “Time? What do you mean?”

“She can rest in peace now.” Tsuna shifted on his feet. “It’s time for her to go.”

“Oh, but—but there’s so much more to say,” Makoto’s mother said. “Why…?”

“It’s okay, Kaa-san,” Makoto said, appearing in front of her parents. “Tou-san.” She placed a hand over theirs, making them gasp. “It’s okay now. Please tell them that I love them very much, that I’ll wait for them.”

“Oh, Makoto-chan…” her mother said, clutching her husband’s hand tighter.

Tsuna nodded. “Of course.”

“What?” her father said. “What did she say?”

“She wants you to know that she loves you both,” Tsuna said, looking down at the sleeping toddlers. “All of you.”

“Oh, honey,” her mother said, her shoulders shaking. “We love you, too.”

Makoto re-appeared by Tsuna’s side, her eyes gentle and less weary. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you so much.”

Tsuna smiled back as she disappeared in a haze of white light. He stayed quiet as the parents sobbed beside him. The sudden loss of Makoto’s presence was as if a weight had been lifted from Tsuna’s shoulders. Though he was never fond of his ability, it was worth it to hear the spirits’ gratitude at the end and watch them cross over.

“She’s gone now,” he said.

“Thank you, Sawada-san,” the father said, tears streaming down his weathered cheeks. “Truly, thank you.”

Tsuna stayed with them until they had the strength to leave, pushing the toddlers’ stroller through the doors of the police station, their backs facing him before they disappeared around the corner.

“Sawada-san,” one of Hibari’s detectives said, “Hibari-sama wishes for you to accompany him to another site.”

Tsuna didn’t respond right away. He closed his eyes, letting the sound of the rain and officers droning behind him soothe his nerves. “Okay,” he finally said. “I’ll go.”

* * *

While Tsuna wasn’t the most impressive person out there, he could stomach some gory scenes. With all the violently murdered spirits he’d been seeing lately, it was something he had to get used to. If his school peers saw him now, they’d probably get a good laugh.

The brunet ducked under the yellow police tape and stopped short in front of the white markers that indicated where the victim’s body parts ended up. The stench of blood mingled with cigarette smoke and fish made Tsuna cover his nose. A few detectives were already questioning some bystanders nearby. Some people from forensics were still on the scene, trying to salvage what they could. The rain just made it impossible. Either way, they wouldn’t find anything. No one did. There were now 12 victims, no suspect, and no progress.

Tsuna shivered when he saw a glimpse of his reflection in the restaurant window. An ominous feeling churned in his stomach, which he hadn’t experienced before at the other sites. The crime scenes left by the Butcher, an unoriginal name coined by the public, had no lingering spirits of the victims. “Sawada-san,” Kusakabe said, waving him over, “thank you for coming.”

Tsuna couldn’t even smile in greeting. He kept his umbrella steady above him. Rain continued pouring down on the streets. A low hum resonated in his mind as he approached Kusakabe, where he stood over a spot further down in the alley. The dread in Tsuna’s guts grew stronger with each step he took.

“I…” His voice faltered when he finally stood over a large puddle of blood. Something lingered here, something faint and dark.

Tsuna crouched down, mindful of the blood. There was something here. He didn’t know what it was, but he could feel it in his bones. His fingers trembled as he dipped them in the crimson puddle. Suddenly, his vision shifted and his mind felt like it was sucked into a different space. Everything turned dark. Rain trickled down his face, but something else made Tsuna’s breath catch in his throat. A large black mass towered over him, groaning inhumanely. Something glinted to his right but he didn’t have the chance to react when it hurled right at him. Tsuna screamed.

“—wada-san!”

Tsuna panted hard, stumbling into Kusakabe’s outstretched arms. His body felt too hot and his insides burned as if they were on fire. Hibari was by his side in an instant, his brows furrowed. “What did you see, herbivore?” he said.

“Kyo-san,” Kusakabe said, unsure of whether to scold him or not.

Tsuna leaned onto Kusakabe for support while the man helped him stand. “Something bad,” he said, clutching his chest.

His breath hitched when Hibari grabbed him by the collar. “What did you see?”

Tsuna glared at him. “I don’t know. I don’t know what I saw, but I know it’s not human.”

Hibari narrowed his eyes. “Explain.”

Tsuna swallowed a small lump in his throat. “I don’t know how. All I know is that it isn’t human. You wouldn’t understand.”

“You mean, like _akuma_?” Kusakabe said, frowning. “Do they exist?”

“I don’t know.”

Tsuna grunted when Hibari shoved him away. His whole body was soaked from the rain but he didn’t pay it any mind, grabbing his strewn umbrella instead. Looking over his shoulder, he glared at Hibari. “I might not know what it is, but I know _you_ won’t be able to catch it, Hibari-san.”

He left the crime scene before Hibari could process what he said, picking up his pace when he heard the incessant whispers of spirits around him. Walking past them, he gritted his teeth.

“Please, someone help me!”

“Where am I? Excuse me, ma’am, but—ah, I forgot…”

“My baby! I can’t find my baby!”

“Nanami-chan, I’m right here! _Look_ at me!”

Their voices blended in with the living, breathing pedestrians. Head pounding, Tsuna crossed the street without looking back. The fear that stemmed from his childhood suddenly creeped back into his thumping heart. He wanted them gone. He never asked for this. Why couldn’t he just be _normal_?

_“Dame-Tsuna’s seeing ghosts again!”_

_“Wah! Look at me! I came back from the grave! Give me all your kids!”_

_“Hey, Dame-Tsuna, that desk moved again. You think it was a ghost?”_

_“What an idiot. Ghosts aren’t real. Dame-Tsuna’s just dame.”_

Screaming, Tsuna crouched and gripped his head. The rain continued bellowing around him, thundering against the streets. “Leave me alone! Just leave me alone!”

A broken sob escaped his lips before something inside him roared, primal and desperate. Tsuna gasped when he heard a weak groan coming from the next street over. He could barely see through the rain and his own tears, but the avenue he was on was empty aside from some parked cars. Stumbling to his feet, he jogged over to find the source of the noise. Was his mind playing tricks on him? No, someone was there. He didn’t know why but it was like someone was calling for help.

He flinched when he felt the same ominous presence from the crime scene wash over him. The victim’s scream from before echoed in the back of his head. Gulping, Tsuna took another tentative step forward and another. The alley was dark and wet. The faint cry of help rippled through him again. When he drew closer, he gasped when he saw someone leaning against the wall.

“A—Are you okay?” he said, dashing over.

It was a woman with dark blue hair and a scar on her right cheek. She looked too pale, with dark bags underneath her eyes, and her lips were almost blue. Tsuna held his umbrella over them both and checked for any wounds. The woman wore clothes unsuitable for the cold weather: a brown tank top and some navy blue shorts. A long, tan robe was wrapped around her shoulders.

“Can you hear me, miss?” Tsuna said, placing a hand on her neck to check for a pulse.

He yelped when the woman suddenly grabbed his wrist. He tried pulling away but her grip somehow grew stronger with each minute. Even some color returned to her cheeks, oddly enough. Her lips moved but he couldn’t hear what she was saying.

“Um, I can call the ambulance,” he said, unsure if she could understand him, much less Japanese. “You shouldn’t stay out here like this in the rain. You’ll get sick. Is there someone I can call for you?”

“Sky…”

Tsuna blinked. “I’m sorry?”

“Found…closer…”

Tsuna furrowed his brows, trying to decipher the woman’s words. At least, she spoke Japanese. “The sky? You found…” His breath hitched. Was this woman some kind of prisoner against her will or something? Had she escaped her captor?

He widened his eyes when the woman looked up, revealing fiery red orbs that seemed to be slowly returning to life. They glinted with an unreadable emotion before her grip tightened around his wrist, making Tsuna cry out in pain. “Miss, l—let go! That hurts!”

At that, the woman immediately loosened her grasp but didn’t let go. Even though Tsuna’s wrist ached, something inside him felt oddly calm, as if telling him that the woman wasn’t any danger to him. Still, there was something uneasy about this. Shouldering his umbrella at a comfortable angle, he fished for his phone inside his pocket. There were a few missed calls from Kusakabe but he ignored them and dialed emergency services when the woman snatched his phone away.

“Hey!”

Tsuna gaped when the woman just crushed his phone with her bare hand, the broken pieces falling to the ground. He flinched when he met her lazy, almost predatory gaze. “No hospital,” she said, her husky voice causing shivers to crawl up Tsuna’s spine. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Feeling more creeped out, Tsuna tried to stand but his wrist was kept prisoner by the woman’s other hand. “If—If you don’t need my help, let me go,” he said, cursing at his stutter. “Please.”

The woman narrowed her eyes, making Tsuna freeze in place. There was an almost animalistic gleam in her red eyes, which seemed to glow under the dim shadows. “No,” she said. “Not again.”

For a second, Tsuna wondered if he met this woman before or if she was a spirit. However, he could touch her. She was all flesh and bones like a human being, but there was something about her that wasn’t human at all. Tsuna widened his eyes. What if she was…? No, that wasn’t possible. It was ridiculous. He didn’t know why but his guts told him that she wasn’t the Butcher.

A low, guttural moan suddenly sounded from above them. Tsuna flinched. It sounded like the thing he saw in his vision. He didn’t even have time to blink when he was suddenly slung over the woman’s strong shoulder and they were several feet in the air. A scream escaped his lips as the woman leapt across building rooftops with ease.

“What are you doing?” he said. “Let me go!”

“Stop moving!” the woman said, her voice gaining more strength along with her grip around his waist.

Some black figure leapt high above them, making Tsuna yelp when long tendrils of scissor-like blades shot towards them. The woman clicked her tongue and immediately leapt to the side before they could pierce them. Tsuna grunted when the woman landed on another rooftop, her feet skidding across the wet ground. He tried to look behind him to see what was going on when the woman laid him gently on the floor.

A small series of clinks drew his attention to her left arm, which was now covered with a metal gauntlet. Tsuna blinked when the woman removed her cloak and draped it over him. It was thick, warm, and strangely, not wet. In fact, the woman didn’t seem to be drenched either. She directly looked at him, her gaze unwavering and dark. “Don’t run away,” she said, the underlying threat clear as day under her soft tone.

Tsuna just widened his eyes, frozen, as the woman stood up and sprinted towards the black creature. It shrieked in rage, hurling its bladed wisps at her. She flipped over them with ease, almost superhuman, and slammed her knee across the creature’s face. Tsuna shuddered when a ripple of power shook the building.

“Hungry…” the creature moaned, shifting into a larger blob. Tsuna gaped as it grew taller. A long slit opened on its face, revealing sharp teeth oozing with purple liquid. “More… Need more…”

The woman aimed her gauntlet at the center. “You’re not going to be feasting anymore.”

“Soul…I want to eat that _soul_!”

Gunfire cracked through the air as the woman shot bullets at the creature. It howled in pain before shooting several arms in random directions. Leaping to an impossible height, the woman dashed along the thick tendrils, jumping and twisting to dodge more attacks, and slammed a glowing purple fist against the creature’s head. It shrieked, making Tsuna wince, before slowly wilting into a heap. The long arms gradually disintegrated into ashes that blew away in the wind.

Tsuna could hear his heart hammering against his chest and his blood rushing in his ears. Everything seemed to come to a standstill. He quietly gasped when 12 balls of blue light rose from the simmering glob. The woman stepped towards them with her hand outstretched, the gauntlet gone. Tsuna stood up on shaky legs as she gathered the blue orbs and gently pushed them toward the gray skies. They vanished in a white haze as if they had crossed over…

“W—Who are you?” Tsuna said.

At his voice, the woman immediately turned around and headed towards him, making him tense. She looked a little worn out, which was strange since she seemed to pull off those moves earlier with ease. Looking at her closer, Tsuna realized that she was taller than him by a few centimeters. He wasn’t _that_ short; at least, he thought he wasn’t. 170 centimeters was the average height for Japanese men, although Hibari and Kusakabe were both taller than that. Tsuna shook his head. This wasn’t something he should be thinking about, even if his height was a sensitive issue for him.

“Are you okay?”

Tsuna inhaled sharply when the woman cupped his cheek, cradling it gently with a calloused hand. The act was so intimate, so warm, that it made his knees go weak. He mentally slapped himself. Why was he acting like this? He didn’t even know the woman; hell, she just beat some terrifying, nameless creature to the ground a second ago. What was even going on?

“I…” His voice trailed off as something cool seeped into his body, like a hand reaching inside of him. Shifting, he pulled away from the woman’s grasp but she grabbed onto his arm before he could step away. The same harsh gleam shone in her red eyes, which started glowing again. Oddly, she looked almost rejuvenated again.

“You’re not going anywhere,” she said lowly.

Tsuna winced when her hand tightened around his arm, almost bruising. “I don’t…even know you.”

The woman’s lips twitched into an almost prideful smirk. “You will, eventually.”

“What…”

Something moved at the corner of his eye. The black blob, which was the size of a small dresser, wriggled a bit with a hiss. A weak tendril trembled as it rose in the air. Tsuna widened his eyes. “Look out!”

He pushed the woman out of the way, who quickly hugged him close to her chest, shielding his head with her arms. She smelled like summer rain. Searing, hot pain spread from his side to his chest. He gasped, clutching his wound, while they rolled across the pavement. His veins felt like they were on fire, and something warm and sticky coated his hand. Whimpering, Tsuna unconsciously curled against the woman’s body. An inhuman snarl made him flinch.

Before he knew it, a squeaky shriek sounded behind him and he was being cradled in the woman’s arms. He could barely make out her face, his eyes fluttering as he struggled to stay conscious. She was saying something to him but he couldn’t hear her over the rain and the pain in his hot body.

“I’m glad…you’re okay,” he rasped out.

Soon, darkness creeped in his vision and he passed out in the stranger’s arms, the image of her furious face imprinted in his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, hmm, a new story with some Dark!Arcobaleno.
> 
> Yes. :^D
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	2. Chapter 2

_“Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you.”_ – John Ruskin 

* * *

Every night, Tsuna would have the same reoccurring dream. It was the only reprieve he’d get from his life. He’d wade through nameless meadows with the radiant blue sky above him and the sun warm against his back. The vast fields were vibrant with camellias, daffodils, and violets, which let out a pleasant aroma all around him. This would go on until he’d see the back of a woman a few feet away.

He never saw her face or spoke to her, and she never reciprocated the courtesy either. The image was mournful though. Her long white dress billowed behind her with the gentle breeze. If Tsuna could figure out who she was, maybe he could help her. But his dream would always end before he could even reach out to her.

“They came…”

Tsuna tensed. The woman suddenly appeared in front of him. She had a soft face with somber, weary blue eyes that pinned Tsuna to the spot. Her short blue hair swayed with the wind along with her dress.

“They’re coming,” she whispered.

Tsuna licked his lips nervously. He looked around the meadow to see what she was talking about, but it was only the two of them. “Who…Who are you talking about?” he said. “Who’s they?”

“I thought they’d be fine without me,” the woman said, gazing far over his shoulder. “It was only for a little while, but I strayed too far from my path.” She smiled wistfully. “I miss them.” 

“I can help you,” Tsuna said, bringing her attention back to him. He shivered under her gaze. She seemed lost but present at the same time. “Just tell me who you’re looking for.” 

“No.” The woman raised her hands to his throat. Tsuna widened his eyes and tried to step away but she held on firmly, her fingers slowly tightening around his neck. He inhaled sharply, gasping for air. Gritting his teeth, he tried prying off the woman’s cold hands but she didn’t budge. “They’re coming,” she said again, this time with spite, “for _you_.”

The sky darkened rapidly and everything turned gray. Tsuna choked and gasped, but no air filled his lungs, just smoke and ashes. Everything started fading in and out of his vision, but he could still see the woman’s face, even if she was hazy. Her eyes were clouded with bitterness, and still, Tsuna thought that she still looked beautiful.

* * *

Tsuna’s eyes snapped open and he heaved in a deep, raspy breath. His blurry gaze met a familiar ceiling. The lights were off, leaving the room in shadows and gray. Tsuna’s hands curled, gripping blue bedsheets— _his_ bedsheets. His mind drew blanks as he tried remembering what had happened, but he ended up with a dull headache instead. His body felt numb when he tried to sit up when a hand pushed him back down. 

“You’re going to disturb your wound,” a familiar voice said. “Lie down.” 

Tsuna widened his eyes when he saw the woman from yesterday by his bedside. Her cloak was draped over a chair she brought in probably long before from the kitchen. The dark circles under her eyes were less prominent but were still there. Tsuna looked down to see himself shirtless with white bandages wrapped firmly around his stomach. He still had his jeans on, which was a huge relief. 

“What…What happened?” he croaked. 

The woman pulled her chair closer and grabbed something from the nightstand. It was a mortar and pestle with a flame-like symbol carved onto the smooth ceramic. The pestle clinked almost rhythmically against the mortar as the woman grinded something inside. Tsuna reached under his pillow before remembering that his phone wasn’t with him. 

“If you keep moving like that, your wound could reopen,” the woman said. “Stay still.” 

Tsuna pursed his lips, growing more agitated than terrified at this situation. “Who are you? What happened yesterday? How did you find my _house_?” 

The woman glanced at him at the corner of her eye but didn’t stop what she was doing. “I followed your trail and broke down your door.”

Tsuna gaped at her. “You—You _what_?” He scrunched his nose. “My trail…?”

The woman shrugged. “I fixed it. Don’t worry. Besides, no one would’ve came in.” 

_No one can get through me_ , went unsaid but was chillingly clear. Great, Tsuna was probably stuck with some psycho and he was as good as dead in his current condition. He shuddered, remembering the woman beating the strange creature to the ground and the hot pain that had burned in his side. He frowned. Still, in some ways, the woman had protected him and was most likely the one who tended his wound. Just, there were too many anomalies that didn’t make sense. His head hurt just thinking about them. 

“Hey.” Tsuna flinched when the woman called out to. She stood up, her chair scraping against the floor, and walked closer, the mortar in her hand. Her lips twitched slightly. “You think too much.” 

Tsuna flushed. “N—No, I don’t.” 

The woman huffed. “I can practically hear them.”

Scowling, Tsuna just looked away. “Whatever. I’m not hearing that from some weird woman like you.”

“Oh?” Tsuna tensed when the woman loomed over him, her face almost close to his. “Is this how you thank someone who just saved your ass? I thought you were more than just a pretty face, Tsunayoshi.” 

The brunet’s breath hitched. “How do you know my name?” He internally cringed. She must’ve dug through his stuff while he was out.

The woman smirked knowingly, her eyes glowing as she gripped his jaw. Suddenly, she straddled his waist, her impossibly heavy weight keeping him pinned to the bed, but careful enough not to disturb his wound. Tsuna reached up to pry her hand off but it was frozen in place, unmoving, just like the woman’s hands in his dreams. 

“Now,” the scarred woman said, “it’s time to repay me.” 

She drank the mortar’s contents and tossed it aside with a clang. Tsuna barely had time to react when she swooped down to mesh his lips with her own. Widening his eyes, he struggled to push her off but a cool sensation flowed through his body in response, as if he was being doused by water. Against his will, his body relaxed, and his hands loosened around the woman’s wrist. His jaw slackened before something bitter seeped inside his mouth. Groaning in weak protest, Tsuna had no choice but to swallow the foreign liquid. The woman’s hot tongue followed suit, tangling with his, and he could barely breathe. Her teeth clanked against his as she rolled her hips sensually over his sensitive spot below, making him utter a strangled whimper. His stomach tightened when she deepened the kiss, her tongue probing deeper. He shouldn’t be feeling this way; hell, this was technically his _first kiss_ , but something deep inside him purred as the woman ravished his mouth like a hungry beast, and _that_ wasn’t good.

Finally, she pulled away with a smirk, her red eyes glinting with lust and pleasure. Tsuna panted hard to catch his breath, his mind hazy. Saliva dripped down the side of his mouth and his cheeks were flushed red. The woman hummed in approval, caressing his chin with her thumb. “Not bad,” she said, licking her lips. She let go of his jaw but didn’t move her gaze from his. “The name’s Lal Mirch. Don’t forget it.”

It took a moment for Tsuna to process what she just said before he weakly shoved her off, his arms feeling like lead. She surprisingly moved away but didn’t get up from his waist.

“W—What—What did you do?” Tsuna said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Too out of it, he couldn’t even glare at the woman properly. 

“It’s something to counter the poison in your system,” Lal Mirch said as if she was talking about the weather. She trailed a hand over his side, making Tsuna shiver. He could feel her fingers through the bandages, ghosting along his skin. “Your wound will fully heal in an hour.” 

Tsuna gripped the sheets, balling his hands into weak fists. “You _kissed_ me. Why would you do that? I—I don’t even _know_ you!” He tried pushing Lal Mirch off of him again, but his arms dropped to his sides when the same cool sensation from before reduced his body into submission. He bit his lip. “What are you doing to me…?”

Lal Mirch hushed him gently, brushing some hair from his face. “Relax. You’ll understand soon." 

“No, I don’t!” Lal Mirch blinked when Tsuna raised his shaky, heavy hands to grab her arms. It felt like pushing through a thick wall of sludge, but something hummed inside him, helping him push through. “You look human…but you’re not.” His thick tongue could barely get the words out. “I don’t—I don’t know why you’re doing this to me, what you’re…aiming for…but tell me…please.”

His arms dropped to his sides, leaving Tsuna panting from the extremely difficult endeavor. Lal Mirch suddenly grinned, but it didn’t do anything to quell his nerves. “Oh, you’re _perfect_ ,” she said, cradling his cheek with her hand. “More than perfect.”

Tsuna’s breath hitched when she raised her other hand. A dark blue flame suddenly ignited on her palm, almost watery in effect. His chest suddenly itched, his fingers twitching to reach out and touch it for himself, but he suppressed the terrifying urge. 

“I’m part of the Arcobaleno,” Lal Mirch said. “You might’ve never heard about us since we don’t live among humans or featured in their little fairytales.” She scowled. “Not since then.” 

Tsuna frowned. The word sounded foreign. It didn’t even sound English with what little he could remember from his school days. He wasn’t exactly the best student either, too busy trying to ignore the spirits that bothered him. Wait, she said “us”. There were _more_ of them? 

At Tsuna’s confusion, Lal Mirch continued, “Think of us as deities or _kami_. Whichever makes it easier. Simply, without us, this world wouldn’t be able to sustain itself. We’re the ones that keep everything in order.” 

Tsuna’s mind swam with the stranger’s information. He couldn’t even find the strength to _not_ believe Lal Mirch. The creature from yesterday, him being able to see the dead, the freakish murders recently—they all screamed “not normal”. But still, he wanted to think that the world was normal, or at least, as normal as it could’ve been.

“That thing yesterday…” 

Lal Mirch’s face darkened immediately. “Yeah, I killed it. If I wasn’t there, it could’ve killed _you_.” 

Tsuna swallowed a small lump in his throat. He was half-relieved that that face was directed at the creature and not him, but half-terrified because she could easily kill him, too. “The Butcher,” he whispered. “Did that thing…kill all those people?”

Lal Mirch extinguished her flame by closing her hand into a fist. “Is that what you humans called it? Well, I guess it’s not technically wrong.”

So the Butcher wasn’t even a man or a woman. It was some unnamed being that defied science or human understanding. This whole situation was also beyond Tsuna. “Why did you help me?” he said. 

Lal Mirch scowled, making him tense. “Because I got lucky and I’m not going to screw my luck over even more than it already is.” 

“I—I still don’t understand.” Tsuna furrowed his brows, remembering what the woman had said when they first met. “Sky…you said something about the sky before. Does that have something…to do with you?” 

“Can you see things that no one else can?”

Tsuna inhaled sharply. “What do you mean?” 

“Things you can’t explain, visions of the past and future, dreams of prophecy—any of them sound familiar?” Tsuna stared at her, unable to find the words to respond. “Did they ever terrify you?” Lal Mirch said, her voice soft. 

Gulping, Tsuna turned his gaze to the side. “I—I never understood why I could see them. I didn’t ask for it…” 

Lal Mirch turned his face back to her. Her eyes were gentle as she stroked his cheek with her thumb. “It means you belong to us, and that’s more than enough.” 

A shiver crawled up Tsuna’s spine. Lal Mirch’s eyes glowed red, her own body slowly engulfed by some light, the same color as her strange flame. 

“What are you doing?” Tsuna croaked out, trying to move away.

“This won’t hurt,” Lal Mirch said, pinning his wrists above his head. “I promise. You might even enjoy it.” 

She purred her words lowly, causing Tsuna to tense in almost-anticipation. He mentally shook his head. No, why was he feeling that way? He couldn’t, _shouldn’t_. He gasped when his own body start to glow orange, reaching out to join Lal Mirch’s blue light. A rush of desire, of _longing_ , flowed through him and he blushed when he realized that they were his own. “W—Wait, this isn’t—”

“G—Get away from Tsuna-nii!”

Lal Mirch moved her head back when a ball sailed towards her face. Lambo appeared by the bed, his eyes wide and body trembling. Tsuna gasped. “Lambo, no!” 

“I thought I told you to stay put, you little brat!” Lal Mirch said, both of their lights fading in an instant.

“Wait, don’t hurt him!”

Shrieking, Lambo ran away when Lal Mirch tried to grab him. The boy phased through the walls, disappearing from sight. Tsuna forced himself to get up and latch onto the woman’s waist, pulling her back. “Don’t hurt him! He’s just a kid!”

“He’s dead,” Lal Mirch said. “He doesn’t need to stay here any longer. It’s dangerous for you. I should’ve just sent him up in the beginning.” 

“Why can’t you explain anything properly?” Tsuna said, almost hysterical. “Just leave him alone!”

Before Lal Mirch could respond, someone knocked loudly from the front door outside. They both tensed.

“Sawada-san?” 

Tsuna gasped when Lal Mirch easily tugged away from his hold. Before he fell to the ground, she caught him and easily carried him back to bed. Tsuna couldn’t help but flush from the utter embarrassment of his situation. He opened his mouth to speak but Lal Mirch raised a finger against his lips. “Stay here,” she said. 

“No,” he said, “he’s not an enemy!”

Lal Mirch narrowed her eyes. “You can’t believe that. The world’s more dangerous now than you think, Tsunayoshi.” 

“I _know_ him! It’s Kusakabe-san!”

Tsuna’s senses went haywire when a dark look cast over Lal Mirch’s face. “Who is he?” she said. “What’s your relationship?”

“He—I—We’re not in _any_ relationship!” Tsuna felt seriously mortified at what this situation was turning out to be. What the hell was wrong with him? Did it have to do with Lal Mirch’s flame? Her weird suppression power? What other abilities did she even _have_? What was wrong with _him?_ “He’s with the police. I help them sometimes with their cases!”

“The police,” Lal Mirch said, still unimpressed. “Why do you help them?”

Another knock came from the door. “Sawada-san, are you there?”

Wincing, Tsuna looked at his bedroom door. “Look, I don’t have time to explain or tell you anything. If I don’t answer the door, things will get just get worse.” He pursed his lips. “I don’t get who you really are or why you’re here or why you even did the things you did, but I hope you’re smart enough to know that we have our own rules here.” 

Stifling silence hung in the room. Tsuna gripped his sheets tightly, his knuckles turning white. A bead of sweat dripped on his face but he didn’t back down from Lal Mirch’s calculating stare. Finally, she outstretched her hand towards him. “Fine,” she said. “But when he pulls something—” 

“He won’t,” Tsuna said firmly. 

“ _If_ he pulls something funny, it’s not going to be pretty.”

Tsuna tensed. A million thoughts raced in his head at once and none of them were good. Ignoring Lal Mirch’s hand, he stood up on his feet and swayed a bit before regaining his balance. He pushed past Lal Mirch for the door; he could feel her eyes on his back but didn’t spare her a glance. When he came out into the living room, he saw Lambo peeking at him from behind the couch. The boy perked up when he saw him, but immediately recoiled when Lal Mirch followed behind Tsuna. Suppressing a sigh, Tsuna just gave Lambo a reassuring smile and hoped it wasn’t weak. He couldn’t afford to be weak right now.

Tsuna opened the door when Lal Mirch suddenly pulled him away. “Wait, no!” he said, widening his eyes.

One of Hibari’s detectives was in the midst of kicking down the door until Lal Mirch darted past him and grabbed his face. Before she could smash the man’s head across the hall, Tsuna screamed, “Lal Mirch, _stop_!”

Pausing, Lal Mirch looked over her shoulder with an unreadable expression on her face. Kusakabe gaped at her while Hibari seemed to be sizing her up in interest. God, Tsuna wished he was surrounded by _normal_ people and not a bunch of psychos. “Lal Mirch,” he said, “let him go.”

Without missing a beat, the woman dropped the poor detective to the ground. He whimpered pitifully while clutching his bruised face. Kusakabe looked between Lal Mirch and his colleague, having difficulty speaking. On the other hand, Hibari brandished his signature tonfas but didn’t enter a fighting stance, keeping them by his sides. 

“Kusakabe-san,” Tsuna said, getting the other man’s attention, “what are you doing here?” 

When Kusakabe finally got a good look at him, his eyes widened. “Sawada-san, are you alright? What happened to you? I tried to get ahold of you several times yesterday but you didn’t answer.” He took out a plastic bag with Tsuna’s broken phone inside. “We found it this morning. Were you at the hospital?” He didn’t sound convinced with that assumption though.

Tsuna flushed when he realized that he wasn’t wearing any shirt. “Oh, um, well…” 

Lal Mirch blocked Kusakabe with her arm before he could even take a step. “Stay where you are,” she said, her eyes narrowed. 

The man tensed, his eyes flitting back and forth between her and Tsuna. “I—I apologize.”

“Who is the carnivore, herbivore?” Hibari said, his eyes never leaving Lal Mirch.

Lal Mirch scowled at him. “What did you call him?”

Tsuna quickly intervened before things turned worse. “Would you like to come inside for tea?” he said, his smile strained. 

God bless Kusakabe and his acuity. He patted the other detective’s arm and whispered something in his ear. The other man just looked fearfully at Lal Mirch before leaving for the elevator, trying hard not to break out into a run. Tsuna opened the door wider to let Hibari and Kusakabe inside, and scowled at Lal Mirch who just looked at him innocently. He was going to need some good painkillers after this. 

“Please make yourself comfortable,” Tsuna said, heading to his bedroom. Lambo was nowhere in sight. “I’m sorry if it’s too small.” Now that he thought about it, this was the first time he had anyone come over to his apartment. Minus Lal Mirch, who broke in. That didn’t count.

“Oh, it’s fine, Sawada-san,” Kusakabe said, looking around. “It’s very comfortable.”

Tsuna smiled weakly before entering his room. He dug through his drawers to find a clean shirt. Grabbing a random green shirt, he pulled it over his head quickly and headed back outside. Lal Mirch leaned on the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest, blocking his path.

“Who is he?” she said.

Tsuna sighed. “You almost _killed_ that detective. What is _wrong_ with you?” 

“That’s not the answer to my question. And he almost kicked you down.”

“He was trying to kick down the door if I hadn’t responded in time!” Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. He lowered his voice. “Look, I kind of get that what you’re doing is out of good intentions, but if you keep doing that, you’re going to _jail_ or something worse. I can’t predict what Hibari-san will do either.”

Lal Mirch didn’t even look fazed. “So, he’s Hibari.”

Tsuna felt like ripping his hair out. “Are you even _listening_ to me?”

“They look awfully similar,” Lal Mirch mumbled under her breath. “What the hell did he do?”

“Hello?” Tsuna waved his hand in front of her face. “I’m right here.”

Lal Mirch looked up then. “I heard what you said. I’m not deaf. I get it but you don’t know what I’m capable of.”

“That’s the problem,” Tsuna said, narrowing his eyes. “You somehow find my house, break in, freakin’ _assault_ me, and nearly killed a detective. Yeah, I don’t know what _else_ you can do and that terrifies me.” 

“I also saved your life twice,” Lal Mirch said, inspecting her nails. “Oh, right. Make that three with that idiot before.” 

“He didn’t even manage to _touch_ me.” 

Lal Mirch scowled. “If he did, I would’ve done worse than bash his pathetic skull in.”

Tsuna’s stomach nearly dropped. “That’s…That’s not something you say out loud.”

Lal Mirch just raised a brow challengingly. “I’m only staking my claim, Tsunayoshi. _No one_ else can touch you but us.”

Tsuna just threw his hands up in the air. “Forget it. We’re going to have a talk later.” 

“Sawada-san?” Kusakabe called from the kitchen. “Is everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine, Kusakabe-san!” Tsuna said. “Just, I forgot I had some laundry to do.” He gave Lal Mirch one last warning look before heading to the kitchen where the detectives were. Forcing on a smile, he quickly poured some water in the coffee machine and heated it up. “I’m sorry about your detective.” Even if he had worked with them for three years already, he never really knew Hibari’s team personally, not since so many were always kicked out for not being “carnivorous” enough.

“We’re strong, Sawada-san,” Kusakabe said, though he didn’t sound too sure himself. Tsuna let it slide out of embarrassment and sparing the man some dignity. “But I’m more concerned about you. When we found your phone, we couldn’t find any other trace. No witnesses or footage—it was like you disappeared into thin air. Not to mention, you’re wounded.”

“I’m fine,” Tsuna said. “And thank you for finding my phone, I guess." 

“We can buy you a new one. Although, it isn’t enough for everything you’ve done for us.”

Tsuna turned around to gather some cups, silently relieved that he had done the dishes the other morning, and a few tea bags. Lal Mirch was close by, leaning on the kitchen counter and keeping a close eye on the other men. Carrying the cups, Tsuna brought them over to the small dining table where the detectives sat and placed them down. Kusakabe gave him a small nod of thanks.

“Thank you,” he said as Tsuna sat down across from him.

“No,” Tsuna said, “thank you for checking in on me. For a second, I thought I was a disposable tool or something.” 

He immediately winced. It was a poor attempt at a joke and did nothing to ease the tension. Hibari crossed his legs, his eyes still on Lal Mirch who didn’t even bother to return the favor. Kusakabe regarded Tsuna seriously. “You’re not disposable, Sawada-san,” he said, “and you’re not a tool. You’re an important member of our team.”

Tsuna’s lips slightly twitched at that. “Thanks, I guess. Well, more like unofficial.” It kind of sucked that he wasn’t being paid for it.

“Are you really alright? What happened?” 

Tsuna ran a hand through his hair, messing it up even more. Well, shit. He didn’t really think this through. What was he supposed to tell them? He glanced at Lal Mirch at the corner of his eyes, unsure of what to say. Even if she explained to him who she was, it barely counted ‘cause Tsuna still didn’t understand what Arcobaleno or whatever they were called was. Plus, they barely counted as explanations. They were more like drunken ramblings, and he wasn’t in the mood to play around with puzzle pieces. 

“Well, um, I’m not sure how t—” 

“I saved his ass from the Butcher or whatever you call it,” Lal Mirch deadpanned. 

Kusakabe choked on the tea he drank. Tsuna widened his eyes and was about to help him when Lal Mirch shoved him back down in his seat. Hibari raised a brow at the odd display but didn’t comment on it.

“Get yourself together, Tetsu,” he said instead. His sharp gray eyes then shifted to Tsuna. “Explain, herbivore.” 

The words failed to come out properly. “I—She, um…” 

“Hey,” Lal Mirch said, slamming her hand on the table and drawing Hibari’s attention, “I’m the one talking here. Look at my face when you’re asking the questions.” 

A gleam shone in Hibari’s eyes, making Tsuna tense. It was the same look that indicated a fight was just about waiting to happen. Whether it was unconscious or not, Tsuna didn’t know, but he glanced fearfully at Lal Mirch who caught it just before he realized his mistake. She immediately narrowed her eyes at Hibari while he seemed to be watching their interaction almost _too_ interestingly.

Everyone, except Hibari, jumped when Lal Mirch gripped the other man by the collar, almost hauling him off his chair. It was terrifying to see, and Tsuna couldn’t even bring himself to speak, but what was scarier was that Hibari looked unfazed at the abrupt confrontation. It was like two predators sizing each other up in Tsuna’s fucking _kitchen_ and he didn’t want to move out _again_. 

“Wait, Lal Mirch, I—”

“Listen here, punk,” Lal Mirch said, ignoring him. “I’m don’t know what your relationship is with Tsunayoshi but I don’t like it and I don’t like you. If you try something as to _breathe_ the same air as him, I won’t hesitate to beat you to what you humans call hell and that’s me being nice.” Roughly, she shoved Hibari back in his seat.

Hibari smirked. “Wao.”

On the other hand, Kusakabe furrowed his brows, puzzled. “Humans…?”

Tsuna resisted the urge to smack his head against the table. Before he actually did, a loud ringtone rang from Kusakabe’s pocket. Mumbling an apology, the man answered his call. “Kusakabe speaking.” He immediately frowned, his brows furrowing deeply. That didn’t look good. “Alright. We’ll be there.”

When he hung up, he addressed Hibari, “Kyo-san, a murder was reported near Kokuyo Square. So far, they managed to get an ID on her. Ashida Megumi, a 26-year-old woman.”

Hibari just stood up, his cup of tea empty, and headed for the door. “Herbivore, bring the carnivore with you.”

Tsuna widened his eyes. “Wait—” 

But Hibari had already left before he could say another word.

* * *

A large crowd of civilians and reporters hovered around the crime scene, with the police pushing them back from crossing the yellow tapes. It had stopped raining but the sky was still cloudy. Midori was a large city with the highest population count in Namimori Prefecture. It had adapted a more metropolitan look rather than sticking with its suburban feel. Tall, sleek buildings were on either side of the broad streets with the occasional boutiques and stores in-between. Multiple cars and buses drove past behind Tsuna as he ducked under the police tape.

Some people looked at Lal Mirch curiously, their gazes lingering on her scar, but she didn’t pay them any mind. Tsuna’s breath hitched when the strong scent of blood wafted in his nose.

“You okay?” Lal Mirch murmured in his ear, almost making him jump.

He nodded. “I’m fine. I’m used to this.”

He didn’t see her face but he had the feeling that she was frowning, which was a little too weird for his taste, the fact that he could sense her mood. Ignoring it to ponder later after some much-needed painkillers, Tsuna followed Kusakabe and Hibari to a part of the sidewalk where white markers indicated the body. 

“Thankfully, it’s not raining today,” Kusakabe said. “We were able to get some evidence but it’s not enough to pin down any suspects. Witnesses said that the victim fell from the roof. She works here as an intern.”

He pointed at the tall company building in front of them. Tsuna paled when he saw the logo: _Rokudo Trading Corporation._ It was one of the largest trade companies in Japan that handled a majority of European imports, making it also the wealthiest in the country. That wasn’t the issue. It was just that Hibari _hated_ the CEO’s guts, Rokudo Mukuro. Whatever bad blood they had was none of Tsuna’s business, but he’d witnessed it firsthand before and that only spelled trouble for the investigation.

“It’s not suicide?” Hibari said, narrowing his eyes at the building.

Kusakabe shook his head. “No, her head is missing. The coroner told me it was premortem, Kyo-san.”

Tsuna watched as two paramedics wheeled the body to the coroner’s van. The woman was in a black body bag, preventing him from seeing inside, but he didn’t linger. Facing forward, Tsuna headed towards where the body was before. He could sense a part of the victim, like a small buzz in the back of his head, but he didn’t see any signs of her spirit.

“Her soul isn’t completely gone,” Lal Mirch said.

Tsuna tilted his head. “How…? Oh. You and your fancy powers that you never really explained properly. Right.” 

Lal Mirch huffed. “We were getting there until the brat interrupted us.” 

Tsuna scrunched his nose. “ _Getting_ there? You were about to do something else! Don’t deny it. And don’t call Lambo that.” 

Shrugging, Lal Mirch looked anything but guilty. She scrutinized the building with sharp eyes. “This one’s different from what you call the Butcher. That one liked eating the spirits whole.”

Cold dread coiled in Tsuna’s stomach. He was almost terrified to ask. “And this one?” 

“This one likes playing with his food. It’ll take a while until it strikes again. Well, if his prey isn’t fun.” 

Tsuna followed her gaze to the building’s roof, trying to decipher how things turned out the way they did. All he could think about was the poor woman and how her family must be coping right now. He blinked when a faint whistling sound pierced the air. Frowning, he tried to find where it was coming from when some people suddenly screamed. His breath hitched when he saw large steel beam hurling towards him.

“Sawada-san!” 

Tsuna grunted when he was flung over a familiar shoulder and sailed a few feet in the air before the beam crushed his previous spot. He covered his face as debris nicked his arms and smoke billowed in the air. Lal Mirch laid him gently on the ground, her eyes wide in concern. “Are you okay?” she said, checking for any wounds. 

Coughing, Tsuna waved her off. “I’m fine.” With her help, he stood up on shaky legs before looking up to see the damages. An ominous feeling churned in his guts when he got a closer look at the steel beam. “What the hell just happened?” 

Kusakabe ran towards him, covering his mouth with his arm. “Sawada-san, are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Tsuna said, pursing his lips. “I have a bad feeling about this one, Kusakabe-san.” 

Lal Mirch clicked her tongue. “This one’s a pain in the ass.” She sighed in aggravation. “I won’t be able to do this alone, not in the state I’m in.” 

Tsuna gaped at her. “What do you mean? You were fine yesterday _and_ today!” He turned a little red when he remembered what had happened earlier. 

Lal Mirch rolled her eyes. “Yeah, until that brat got in the way. I would’ve been fine if we went through with Harmonizing but this is way out of my hands now.” 

Harmonizing…?

She pulled out a small device from inside her cloak, which looked similar to a beeper. A flame emblem was etched on the back. 

Tsuna eyed her warily. “What are you doing?”

“What else? Calling for backup. I can’t guarantee they’ll come at the same time, but if I have at least one of them here, we can probably keep your cute ass safe.” 

Tsuna flushed. “ _What_?”

Kusakabe looked just as lost as he was. 

Lal Mirch pressed some buttons on the device before a small beep came through. She smiled slightly. “Oh, look at that. One’s on his way already. By the way, do me a favor. Don’t tell him I told that Hibari kid what I said before. They’re like twins, I thought I was actually talking to _him_ instead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you cringed at that, I am so sorry. :^)
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	3. Chapter 3

_“The art of pleasing is the art of deception.”_ – Luc de Clapiers

* * *

While Hibari went to the nearby construction site to “bite some incompetent herbivores to death”, Kusakabe led Tsuna and Lal Mirch inside _Rokudo Trading Corporation_. The well-lit lobby was large and smelled like lavender and chamomile. A few of the workers were already being questioned by detectives, looking pale. Tsuna gave them a sympathetic glance before following Kusakabe to the elevators. 

“Is there anything you can tell me about Ashida-san?” he said.

Lal Mirch studied the enclosed space quietly while sticking close to Tsuna’s side. He wouldn’t voice it out loud but he was a little relieved to have her here. He would’ve been dead minutes ago if she hadn’t saved him. Okay, that still didn’t warrant her any trust. There were too many holes in her story, if it could count as one. 

“For now, we’ve gathered that she worked here as an analyst for three years,” Kusakabe said, pressing a button. “We got in touch with her fiancée and he’ll be soon arriving at the station. My detectives are questioning her coworkers right now but there doesn’t seem to be any red flags about her.”

The elevator doors dinged open. Kusakabe stepped out first, then Lal Mirch. They arrived at one of the employee’s floors. Large glass windows overlooked Midori, providing an aesthetic view of the city, and several potted plants decorated the space. Clusters of desks with computers and corded phones indicated which team was which easily enough. Several employees were brought to the side and being questioned by Hibari’s own detectives. Some were in tears, barely getting their words out. Kusakabe led the two towards Ashida’s desk. 

The computer was off and there was a neatly-marked calendar with notes about meeting times written over some dates, but what caught Tsuna’s eye were the two portraits behind the keyboard. There was one with Ashida and her fiancée, smiling radiantly at the camera under a grove of cherry blossom trees. The other portrait showed her standing behind her seated parents, the perfect picture of a happy family. What was even more interesting was that Ashida was beautiful, stunning really. She could’ve passed on for a model if she could, with her long brown hair and bright eyes. 

Lal Mirch scoffed lightly under her breath but didn’t say anything. Ignoring her, Tsuna reached out to brush his hand against the family portrait before everything vanished. He saw through Ashida’s eyes as she typed something on the computer. It looked like a spreadsheet with import prices from England. The screen was the only source of light in the dark space, but there was faint sunlight from his right. No one else was around until a whisper cut through the buzzing silence, _“Megumi-chan…”_  

Tsuna gasped sharply, his mind suddenly sucked back into the present. He swayed on his feet when Lal Mirch steadied him by the shoulder. Head pounding, Tsuna tried to regain his bearings. That voice he heard, or Ashida had heard, didn’t sound inhuman—it sounded like a child.

“Are you okay?” Lal Mirch said. “What did you see?” She glanced at Kusakabe. “Make yourself useful and get him some water.”

Snapping out of his stupor, Kusakabe nodded. “Erm, right. I’ll be back soon.”

After the man left, Tsuna took a shuddering breath and unconsciously leaned onto Lal Mirch for support. Whenever he received any past memories of the deceased, it usually left him disoriented for a few minutes while he tried to make sense of it. 

“She…She was here this morning,” he said, straightening himself. “I think—I think she stayed here all night. Someone called her name. I think it was a little girl.” 

Lal Mirch raised a brow. “Little girl?” She scanned the workplace with calculating eyes. Tsuna wasn’t sure what she was looking for but she seemed to have found it when she pointed at the staircase. “There. Do you see it, Tsunayoshi?” 

Tsuna furrowed his brows. All he saw was the door to the stairwell, a long hallway, and some conference rooms. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” he said. “That door leads to the stairs, if that’s what you mean.” 

He jumped when Lal Mirch propped her arm on his shoulder and leaned in close to whisper in his ear. “This will be your first lesson so listen up, alright? You can see much more than spirits in their original form. I can see Asura—” 

“Ashida,” Tsuna corrected.

“Whatever. I can see her trail go through the doors.” 

Trail? That was what Lal Mirch had said before. _“I followed your trail and broke down your door.”_  

“But there’s another one,” Lal Mirch said, pointing a little bit to the right. “Someone went up with her.”

Tsuna blinked. “Someone else? I don’t remember seeing anyone else around. She was alone last night.” He frowned as the pieces slowly drew together. “But that voice. Could that have lured her out to the roof?”

Still, he swore that the voice sounded like a little girl, and if it was a child spirit, he doubted that she was the one who killed Ashida. Dead children rarely disturbed the living so they could kill them. They mostly stayed on earth out of confusion over their deaths or wanting attention. His stomach dropped. It could be another creature like yesterday, too, like what Lal Mirch had said…

Lal Mirch pulled away a little. “Who knows? You might find your answer on the roof. That’s where the trails lead.”

Tsuna nodded. “Okay. Then let’s go.”

* * *

It took three flights of stairs before they reached the rooftop. Lal Mirch pushed the door open and Tsuna followed her out. The sky was less gray now but the lingering scent of rain still permeated the damp air. The wind wasn’t too severe and Tsuna could hear cars distantly from below. Lal Mirch walked ahead a couple of steps before stopping right before the edge.

“Ashida’s trail ends down there,” she said, pointing down. Then she gestured to where Tsuna was standing a few feet away. “The other trail stops there before heading south.” 

Tilting his head, Tsuna gazed at the edge of the roof. “What could’ve made Ashida-san come all the way out there?” 

Lal Mirch shrugged. “Whatever it was, it got her.” 

Nothing made sense. Ashida seemed happy and was engaged, too. There shouldn’t be any reason for her to try to commit suicide. Her missing head had already ruled that out and Tsuna wasn’t quite sure how the bodiless voice was involved in this. 

“Lal Mirch,” he said, catching the woman’s attention almost immediately, “you said something about the Butcher before, that it liked…eating souls.”

“Yeah,” Lal Mirch said, placing a hand on her hip. “In our language, they are what you humans would call ‘demons’, but they’re worse. They’re remnants of the guilt and anger of spirits that remained on this plane longer than they should have. They turn into thoughtless creatures, like your Butcher, that eat souls. Their methods vary but their sole purpose is to eat souls with the notion that they could turn human again.” 

Tsuna felt as if someone dunked him in ice cold water. He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets and looked anywhere but Lal Mirch. “Oh…”

“In most cases, the souls can be freed. Your Butcher wasn’t strong enough to keep them. It happens.”

Tsuna licked his lips nervously. “What about…this one?”

“I’m not sure, but since it took a part of the physical remains, that could mean that its motive is more complex. I won’t know anything until it strikes again.”

Tsuna paled. “It—It can’t. We can’t let it.” 

Lal Mirch met his gaze then and the indifference in her red eyes made Tsuna tense. “We?” 

“Oh, um…”

Tsuna stepped back when Lal Mirch suddenly appeared in front of him. Her voice was soft, almost too quiet for him to hear. “Do you trust me now?” 

The question froze Tsuna in place. It was strange how most of him, the rational side, told him that Lal Mirch was danger, someone he shouldn’t go near to, but a very small part of him, the deeper one that he was scared to touch upon, said she was safe, _his_ —and that terrified him the most because it somehow made sense to him, to trust Lal Mirch with every part of his being despite his denials.

Balling his hands into fists, Tsuna took a deep breath.  “No,” he said, “but after what happened, I kind of believe you, even if I don’t understand what you mean. You still owe me a proper explanation, but right now I have to help Ashida-san. You seem to know what you’re talking about, so”—he suddenly stuck out his hand, making Lal Mirch blink—“I’m making a temporary pact.”

“A pact?” 

Tsuna nodded. “Yes. For now, we focus on this case. If you help us, _me_ , I’ll help you with…whatever you’re dealing with. I can’t guarantee anything but I’ll try.” 

A beat of silence passed. Lal Mirch studied his face curiously before looking down at his hand. For a moment, Tsuna felt like he just dug his own grave, and the feeling lingered when Lal Mirch shook his hand with her own. He shivered when she pulled him in close, her hot breath brushing his ear. “You owe me, Tsunayoshi,” she said. 

It was a promise that Tsuna didn’t want to acknowledge.

Suddenly, the door behind them slammed open, prompting Lal Mirch to snarl and push Tsuna behind her. He gasped from the sudden movement but held fast onto Lal Mirch’s arm when he saw that it was Kusakabe. 

“Sawada-san,” the man said, his eyes wide, “thank goodness I found you! We need to leave! Another murder just happened on Block 38!” 

* * *

The street was a mess. Reporters, cops, and civilians clamored around the crime scene. Shouts and camera flashes broke through the humid air, making Tsuna feel a little dizzy. Lal Mirch pushed through the crowd with Kusakabe, keeping a firm hand on his arm, not that he protested.

“What happened?” Kusakabe said to a pale officer.

The other man stuttered something unintelligible under his breath before pointing a shaky finger towards the alleyway. Tsuna’s breath hitched when he saw a glimpse of a woman’s corpse hanging limply over the fire escape. Blood dripped from her shoulders onto the floor. Her arms were missing. 

“K—Kusakabe-san!” a detective said, rushing over. “You came!”

Kusakabe narrowed his eyes. “What _happened_?”

“The person who called it in said that he only saw her fall from her window, sir. She lived on the 6th floor and the coroner says that her…arms were removed pre-mortem.”

Kusakabe clicked his tongue. “Is it the same perp?” 

“We don’t know but…” The detective furrowed his brows in concern. “Isn’t this too sudden?” 

“No,” Kusakabe said firmly. “We have to be prepared no matter what for sudden deviances. Do we have ID?” 

“Well, her neighbors identified her—Tachibana Chisa. She’s 28-years-old and a teacher’s assistant at Kokuyo Community College. No records or priors so far. We’re getting in touch with her parents right now.” 

Tsuna stepped aside as the paramedics wheeled the body bag to the corner’s van. Two bodies in one day—even he thought it was bold for the killer to attack in such a quick amount of time. Before he could step forward, Lal Mirch suddenly held him back. “Don’t,” she whispered in his ear. “It’s still here.” 

Tsuna flinched. His eyes darted around the apartment buildings, trying to find what Lal Mirch was talking about, when a voice shouted, “Hey! You!”

Lal Mirch pulled Tsuna to her side, shielding him from what looks to be another young woman. Sighing under his breath, he muttered, “Christ, you don’t have to keep doing that.” 

“I can see you, you know,” the woman said.

Tsuna peered around Lal Mirch’s arm—why was she _taller_ than him?—to see who was talking to him. It was woman with short, wavy black hair and sharp gray eyes. She wore a long coat over a white-collared shirt and black slacks. A notepad and pen were in her hands. Tsuna blinked. Was she a reporter? There were no cameras following her though.

“Are you talking…to me?” he said. 

The woman scoffed. “Who else, monkey? Kurokawa Hana, Namimori Times. Do you happen to know what’s going on? This is the second murder to occur after Ashida Megumi’s alleged suicide this morning. Are there any connections?”

Tsuna furrowed his brows. “Suicide? Ashida-san didn’t kill herself.”

He realized too late that he just gave the wrong answer. A hungry gleam glinted in Hana’s eyes as she quickly scribbled it down. “So it _is_ true,” she said. “Do you have any other information about it? What’s your relationship to the police?” She clicked her pen. “Now that I think about, you’re a familiar monkey.”

“Hey,” Lal Mirch said, almost baring her teeth, “go bother someone else. And stop calling him monkey, you snake.” 

Hana raised a brow. “And who are you?”

Thankfully, Kusakabe came over before things became worse. “Kurokawa-san,” he said, “this is a crime scene.” 

Hana didn’t bat an eye. “Yes, and I came to learn and inform. What’s going on? Is this murder related to Ashida Megumi?”

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to postpone this,” Kusakabe said, sounding almost weary. Tsuna had a feeling that they probably had a couple of run-ins before. “Put a call through the station.” 

Hana crossed her arms over her chest. “You never return my calls.” She narrowed her eyes. “The people have the right to know what’s going on. Also, what happened with the Butcher case? Any more word on that?” 

“Again,” Kusakabe said, louder this time, “I have an investigation to run—”

“Two, actually, _three_ with the Butcher.” 

“—so if you could please evacuate the premises, everyone, thank you. Hibari-san would _appreciate_ it.” 

At the mention of the demonic detective, most of the people got the message, scurrying off. Hana still looked unimpressed. Tsuna had to give it to her though; she seemed like a tough woman. 

“Did you know that something similar happened a few years ago?” Hana said, pocketing her pen.

Kusakabe blinked but quickly schooled his features. “Everyone includes you, Kurokawa-san. I highly doubt you want to meet Hibari-san again.”

Hana just waved him off, already walking away. “I’ll find out eventually, Kusakabe.” 

After she turned around the corner, Kusakabe breathed a small sigh of relief. He smiled slightly when he met Tsuna’s eyes. “That’s Kurokawa Hana,” he said. “She writes the crime columns in Namimori Times. I apologize that you had to meet her like that. I’ll try to make sure she doesn’t come into contact with you but I can’t guarantee anything.” He grimaced. “She can be very…thorough.” 

Lal Mirch pursed her lips. “I don’t like her.” 

Kusakabe shook his head. “She’s not the nicest person you’ll meet, but she’s great at what she does. Sawada-san, I’ll have to let you go for now.” 

Tsuna blinked. “What? Why? I can still help.” 

Lal Mirch gripped his wrist. “Finally, something I can agree with. Come on, Tsunayoshi.” 

Kusakabe furrowed his brows. “Is it possible for you to tell me what you saw earlier over the phone later?” 

“Oh, yeah, but…” 

“I’ll have a new phone sent to your apartment before evening.”

“Ah, that’s fine, I guess. You didn’t have to.” 

“I advise to lay low for now, Sawada-san. Kyo-san and I have done our due diligence to keep you out of the public eye but Kurokawa-san won’t give up easily.” Kusakabe nodded towards Lal Mirch. “I do not know you, Lal Mirch-san, but I entrust Sawada-san in your care.”

Tsuna widened his eyes just as Lal Mirch slung an arm over his shoulders, pulling him close to her side. “You don’t even have to tell me,” she said.

The brunet didn’t even have time to blink while he tried to process the strange truce that had occurred. He wondered if it wasn’t too late to move to China, hell, even America because this seriously couldn’t be his life right now.

* * *

They both ended up back at his apartment. Stomach grumbling, Tsuna searched through the fridge to look for something to eat. He ended up boiling a pot of water on the stove and taking out some packaged soba noodles from the pantry. “I hope you don’t mind soba noodles,” he muttered. 

“I don’t like noodles,” Lal Mirch said, plopping down at the dining table.

Tsuna sighed. “Then you’re just going to have to deal with it. I need to go shopping soon.” He suddenly gasped, realizing that he had missed _work_ today. “Shit, Umeki-san’s going to kill me.”

The change in the air was instantaneous. “Who’s going to kill you?” Lal Mirch said, almost growling.

“N—No one! It’s just a figure of speech!” Groaning, Tsuna buried his face in his hands. “Why did you have to break my phone? Was that really necessary?”

“Well, I’ll admit that I went a little overboard there,” Lal Mirch said, surprisingly. “But I’m not saying sorry for saving your ass twice.”

Tsuna leaned his hip against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “By the way, you still owe me an explanation.” 

Lal Mirch draped an arm over her chair. “Shoot.” 

“Why were you there yesterday? In that alley?” 

Lal Mirch raised a brow. “That’s what you’re going to ask first?” 

Tsuna pursed his lips. “I like to start from the beginning and work my way from there.” 

Lal Mirch huffed, though some amusement danced in her eyes. “Fair enough. I was dying.” 

Tsuna’s jaw dropped. “ _What_?” 

“The pot’s boiling.” 

Whirling around, Tsuna cursed again before lowering the heat and dumping in the noodles. He stirred them around with a pair of chopsticks, careful not to have them clumping together. Soba noodles could be more of a pain than spaghetti since they were easier to overcook. Sighing in relief, Tsuna glanced over his shoulder to shoot Lal Mirch an incredulous look. “What do you mean _dying_?”

“It means what it means,” the woman said, eyeing him up and down in a strange manner. “You don’t have an apron or anything?” 

Tsuna wrinkled his nose. “What? Why would I need an apron?” 

“Don’t housewives wear aprons? I think the look would suit you.” 

Tsuna turned to gape at her, his nerves tingling when he saw the smirk on her face. “W—What do you mean _housewife_? I’m not even a woman! Stop saying weird things, you—you psycho!” 

Lal Mirch didn’t even seem fazed. “Cute.” 

Tsuna could feel his cheeks turn redder and forced himself to direct his attention back to his pot. “God, just kill me now,” he muttered under his breath. “I meant what I said. You look…fine.” 

“After I found you,” Lal Mirch said. “You’re the only reason I’m still alive.”

Tsuna tensed before slowly getting a large bowl and filling it with cold water. “You’re still not—That doesn’t explain _anything_.” 

“Without you, all of us would disappear.” 

“Us—You mean the Arco—whatever it is.”

“Arcobaleno.”

“Yes, that.” 

“Yeah. And if we die, the world will fall into chaos until the next nine are chosen, which I can tell you, aren’t easy to come by.” Lal Mirch smiled wryly. “How can anyone compare to the gods?” 

Tsuna’s mind swam with the information. He sort of got it. He didn’t know whether he was just dumb or slow, but there were some things he didn’t get. If the Arcobaleno were actually gods or deities that kept the world’s balance in check, why were there so many strange things happening? Not just in Namimori but in other countries, too. Reports of strange murders and cults rising, rumors of the impending apocalypse, strange illnesses spreading in different cities—the world was pretty bad but it was never _this_ bad. 

Lost in his thoughts, Tsuna cut some chives on the cutting board when a sudden pain stung his finger. He hissed and dropped the knife. _So much for paying attention_ , he thought bitterly, scrutinizing his bleeding wound. The cut wasn't that big, thankfully.

Suddenly, a warm hand snatched his wrist before a hot tongue ran up his finger. Tsuna’s breath hitched when Lal Mirch peered through her long lashes coyly as she licked the dribbling blood. 

“Wait, d—don’t—ngh!”

Eyes widening, Tsuna quickly covered his mouth while Lal Mirch gently sucked his wound, lapping it with long, hard strokes of her tongue. He stuttered out some jumbled words when Lal Mirch suddenly pinned him against the counter with her body. A shiver ran down his spine when she licked her lips. 

“Can’t you give me a little more taste, Tsunayoshi?” she purred, her breath ghosting his lips. 

A primal, terrifying urge rose in his body, as if it was reaching out to Lal Mirch’s request. Tsuna briefly remembered the lights that emitted from their bodies that morning, the blue and orange glows almost _touching_. Before he could say a word, a small beep came from Lal Mirch’s cloak. 

“Um,” Tsuna said, “aren’t you going to get that?” 

“It can wait,” Lal Mirch murmured, burying her face in the crook of his neck. 

He gasped when she nibbled on his skin, her breath hot and heavy. His cheeks turned red when her tongue roughly swept across his pulse. He bit his lip to restrain a whimper as she lightly sucked over it. Suddenly, she jerked her hip forward, grinding it against him. 

“Ah!” Tsuna yelped when she suddenly hoisted his legs around her waist, picking him up easily, and slammed him on top of the dining table. He arched his back out of instinct before a small zip made him jolt. “Wait, what are you doing?” 

Lal Mirch pushed him back down roughly, her hand splayed over his chest. Another beep sounded in the background but was ignored again. She smirked deviously and leaned in close to say, “Just _relax_.” 

A familiar, cool sensation spread throughout his body, making him go limp. Tsuna widened his eyes and struggled against the strange power, but none of his limbs moved. “W—Wait,” he gasped out. “Don’t…Ngh!” 

Before Lal Mirch could go any further, the door suddenly knocked down, making Tsuna flinch. He soon found himself able to move again and quickly scrambled to his knees, realizing too late he was on a _table_. It toppled over from the sudden unbalanced weight, making Tsuna yelp. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the inevitable only to fall in a pair of strong arms instead. 

He heard Lal Mirch click her tongue in the background. “Fucking _again_ ,” she said. “First, the little brat, and now you.” 

Tsuna’s eyes fluttered open before he gasped when he looked upon a strangely familiar face. Hibari…? No, this man wasn’t him. He was handsome, with kind brown eyes and a slight smile. He seemed to be wearing some red Chinese garbs and had long black hair in a braid. 

“Are you alright?” the man said, his voice smooth and not like Hibari’s at all. 

Tsuna blinked until he realized their positions. Almost shrieking, he tried to get up but the man suddenly tightened his grip around him. “W—Who are you?” Tsuna said, eyes widening.

Wait, Lal Mirch had said there were more of them and that one was coming. Shit, he didn’t expect the man to come so _soon_. Actually, he didn’t expect any of _this_ to happen. 

“I am Fon,” the man said, smiling pleasantly. Tsuna didn’t know whether to call that creepy or not. “Has Lal Mirch not told you who I am?” 

Tsuna just scowled at Lal Mirch who whistled innocently. “No,” he said. “I told you that you should’ve checked your pager thing.” 

“Let him go, Fon,” she said. “I’m hungry and he knows how to cook.” 

Tsuna blinked when Fon helped him up. No groping, no sneaky touches—Oh God, Fon was _sane_. Tsuna didn’t know who to thank. He mentally shook his head. _Wait, this isn’t right_ , he thought. _None of this is right! He’s a_ stranger _!_

“How’d you get here?” Lal Mirch said. 

Fon smiled. “I took what humans call an airplane. It was not as fast as I hoped it to be, but it was doable. After that, I simply followed his trail here. Ah, I apologize. I did not catch your name.” 

Tsuna blinked. “Oh, Sawada Tsunayoshi but you can just call me Tsuna, I guess…”

He mentally thumped his head against the wall. Why did he just give up his name like that? That was so _stupid_ of him.

Fon bowed politely. “Hello, Tsunayoshi. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Tsuna waved his hands. “You don’t have to bow!” 

“It is a custom I am quite acquainted with so I would appreciate it if you weren’t uncomfortable, if that’s alright.” 

Never mind, Fon wasn’t sane. What an _odd_ request. Tsuna just forced on a smile in response. “Ah, I…see. Well”—he glanced at his fallen door—“it’s not really polite to kick down people’s doors, if you get what I mean.”

Fon’s eyes marginally widened. “Oh, yes. I agree.” He bowed again. “My apologies. I will fix it immediately.” 

“Lal Mirch, help him,” Tsuna said, his face blank. 

“What?” she said. “I didn’t do anything.” 

“I know you’re not stupid. It’s for molesting me, or else I’m not feeding you.” Tsuna narrowed his eyes. “This is me being _nice_.” 

_Way too nice,_ he mentally added. The woman basically was trying to get in his pants. One, what kind of woman would do that? Two, what was wrong with her? Three, why did a part of Tsuna find it _normal_? What the hell was going on? He wasn’t a teenager. He was 24-years-old, damn it. A single 24-year-old who never dated in his life but he digressed. 

Grumbling under her breath, Lal Mirch pushed past him and headed for the door to help Fon, who just stared at it like it was a difficult puzzle. “Move,” she said. “All you have is stupid tea for a brain.” 

Fon smiled slightly, ignoring the jab. “I will assist in every way I can.” 

Tsuna sneaked into the bathroom while they bickered, closing the door as quietly as he could. Sighing, he turned on the sink and splashed his face with cold water. The cut on his finger wasn’t bleeding anymore but he took out a small first-aid kit from behind the mirror to at least put some ointment. His cheeks flushed when he remembered what Lal Mirch did; he could still feel her hot tongue tracing over the wound, lapping it like a cat. 

_Fuck,_ he thought. _Fuck, shit, fuck, fuck, fuck!_  

He was nearly killed by some weird demon thing yesterday, got molested _twice_ by a woman he just met, and now he was being saddled with another weirdo in his apartment—what the fuck? What the actual fuck?

“It’s coming,” a voice suddenly said behind him. 

Tsuna jumped, nearly knocking over the first-aid kit, when he realized that a little girl was suddenly in the bathroom. “Christ!” 

The girl, who looked no older than 6, looked at him with frightened eyes. “It’s coming,” she repeated.

Tsuna immediately became alert. Her voice, he knew that voice. _“Megumi-chan…”_

“You’re…” 

“Help her,” the girl said, glancing at the door fearfully. “Please.”

Tsuna furrowed his brows. “Who?”

He gasped when she suddenly touched his hand; her skin felt like ice. Soon, everything shifted and warped into dark streets. A happy hum came from whoever Tsuna had vision through. There were a handful of people around; neon signs glowed above him, most of them restaurants. He knew this area—Block 12 in Kokuyo. 

Within seconds, he found himself back in his bathroom and leaned over the sink, panting. Someone knocked on his door. Lal Mirch.

“—oshi, are you okay?” she said. 

“I’m—I’m fine.” Tsuna looked around to find the girl gone. Rubbing his face, he sighed heavily before opening the door, which would’ve been the next casualty this evening. Lal Mirch was close to actually knocking it down with Fon standing behind her, his eyes slightly narrowed, before he immediately smiled when he saw Tsuna. 

“I need to go,” Tsuna said, grabbing his jacket and slipping on his shoes. 

“Where are you going?” Lal Mirch said, her eyes wide in disbelief.

“The girl from my vision—she told me that it’s coming back.”

Tsuna winced when Lal Mirch grabbed his shoulder, her grip almost bruising. “You’re not going. It’s dangerous.” 

“Perhaps either of you could enlighten me on the situation,” Fon said not too helpfully. 

“He’s a trouble magnet.” 

Fon hummed in acknowledgement, as if that explained everything, which only irked Tsuna more. The brunet narrowed his eyes at Lal Mirch. “If you don’t let me go, I’m not helping you,” he said. “ _Any_ of you.” 

A bout of silence passed. Tsuna gritted his teeth. Every second counted and if he didn’t get to the next victim in time, he was going to scream. Finally, Lal Mirch let him go albeit reluctantly. She pursed her lips. “Fine,” she said. “Where?” 

“Block 12 in Kokuyo,” Tsuna said. “It’s about an hour and a half away though. I don’t know if we’ll make it in time.” He nearly squeaked when Fon suddenly swooped him in his arms. “W—What are you doing?” 

Fon smiled at him. “If you tell me where it is, I can get you there faster.”

“He’s right,” Lal Mirch said, grabbing her cloak. “Fon’s the fastest out of all of us. He’ll cut that time in more than half.” 

Unsure of what to think, Tsuna said, “But, is this really necessary?” 

Fon tilted his head. “How else will I transport you?” 

_Anything but this_ , Tsuna thought.

“Um, okay, well, if you head a couple of miles east, there’s a neighborhood with lots of bright lights. That’s where we need to go.” Tsuna widened his eyes when Fon leapt on top of the apartment building’s railing, facing the other street. “What are you _doing_?”

“Please hold on tight, Tsunayoshi,” was all he got in response when they were suddenly soaring several feet in the air at an inhuman speed. 

Tsuna could only scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So apparently, Japan doesn’t do addresses with street names and such, and uses block numbers to specify certain parts in the neighborhood. 
> 
> And, wow, look at that—Fon. He actually arrived earlier than expected but that’s because it takes about 3 hours to get from China to Japan by plane. :^D
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	4. Chapter 4

" _No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another."_  – Charles Dickens

* * *

Tsuna found himself nearly hyperventilating, his face pressed against Fon's chest and hands gripping the man's shirt like a lifeline. The wind blew harshly through his hair, feeling almost like little needles on his cheeks. And just like that, they were on the ground—solid, heavenly ground. Still shaking, Tsuna didn't even realize that his eyes were closed until he opened them. Dark spots danced in his vision before they cleared.

The distant noise of people talking on the sidewalks sounded from behind him. Car engines droned past while some shop owners shouted discount prices and special menus. Tsuna loosened his grip on Fon's shirt, his breaths eventually slowing down. Blinking blearily, he tried to regain his bearings for a moment. His head felt like it was missing his brain.

"Ah, it's been a while since I've been able to move like that," Fon said, unaware of Tsuna's hazy state. The brunet just sighed into his hands. How the hell did they get here, in this situation? Maybe it was just better if he wasn't born in the first place. "Thank you for sparing some of your energy to me."

"Yeah, whatever, you're welcome," Tsuna muttered, hopping down to his feet.

He looked around the alley they were in. It wasn't the same one in the vision but the district looked familiar and that was good enough, he supposed. How would he find the woman though? He didn't know what she looked like, and he wouldn't be able to hear her humming in the crowd.

Across the small street, the little girl appeared again as pedestrians walked by. She was pale under all the bright lights. Her glasses were cracked and there was blood on her green dress. Tsuna stiffened when their eyes met before she looked to the side. He followed her gaze to a woman in business clothes carrying some groceries. The little girl vanished when she passed her by.

 _That must be her_ , Tsuna thought.

However, before he could take a step, a strong hand pulled his arm back. Tsuna gasped when Fon slammed him against the wall, pinning him with his taller, heavier body. Fon placed a finger against his lips to keep him from speaking and smiled slightly. "It's best to stay quiet, Tsunayoshi," he whispered, his breath ghosting Tsuna's cheek. "We wouldn't want our meeting to be ill-fated, yes?"

Tsuna flushed. "I—Um, no…?"

He blinked when Fon suddenly covered his mouth and pressed him even further against the wall, the man's shirt obscuring his vision. The light fragrance of tea and plum blossoms made Tsuna's face feel hotter. A strange feeling surged in his chest, like when Lal Mirch had kissed him for the first time. The pedestrians' chatter swarmed in a dizzying blur around him. Finally, Fon pulled away; he didn't move too far though, still invading Tsuna's personal space, but the brunet could breathe. "Why did you do that?" he said.

Fon smiled. "There was what you would call a demon in the streets. I simply hid you from its sight. Did Lal Mirch tell you about them?"

Tsuna pursed his lips. "Kind of. She said they're remnants of the spirits' anger and guilt."

Fon nodded. "Yes, and it would be wise to leave the premises quickly. It has already chosen its victim, but it seems to be the fickle type."

Tsuna inhaled sharply. The woman! "Where did you see it? Was it following a woman with a grocery bag?"

Fon tilted his head. "Yes, but wh—"

"Where did they go?"

Fon pointed to their left. "They passed by a few moments ago."

Tsuna turned to exit the alley. He might be able to catch the woman in time. Fon grabbed his arm before he could leave, his grip strong like iron. "Where are you going, Tsunayoshi?"

Restraining a sigh, Tsuna looked over his shoulder with a frown. "Can you let me go? I need to find that woman."

"Why?"

And it was the curiosity in Fon's tone that drove Tsuna nuts. What did Lal Mirch say? That the Arcobaleno were deities that kept the world in check? Shouldn't they be close to humans then or something? Nothing made sense to him anymore.

"Because I have to save her!" Tsuna said, tugging his hand. "So, please, let  _go_! She's going to die!"

"Why?"

Tsuna gaped at him. "Why  _what_?"

"Why do you have to save her?" Fon's grip tightened a bit around Tsuna's arm, making him wince. "Do you know her?"

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "No."

"Then why do you have to save her? There is no relationship between you two. She is a stranger."

Tsuna wanted to bash his head against the wall. If this was how he was going to have to talk to these people—God, he really hoped that there weren't any more, but in his guts, he just  _knew_  that that wasn't the case—he was going to have to consider becoming a hermit and live in the mountains,  _far_  away from civilization.

"It doesn't matter!" he said. "She's an innocent person who's going to be killed by something the police can't even catch or identify, and I won't be able to save her if you don't  _let me go_!"

"How do you know that she is innocent?"

Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, I get that we just met like, five minutes ago. I'm trying to understand what's with you and Lal Mirch, really I am, but I have my  _own_  priorities to handle right now and I don't have the  _time_  for this. So let me go before you make me do something I'll regret."

Fon stared at him for a moment before loosening his grip. Tsuna grimaced as he massaged the sore spot. Suddenly, Fon took ahold of his hand again, gentler this time, and kissed his aching wrist. Tsuna could only gawk when Fon smiled at him. That was wrong on so many levels, even if the warm buzz in his chest purred in content. "I apologize, Tsunayoshi." He glanced up at the roof. "Perhaps we can have a better chance of finding her from above."

Tsuna blinked. "We?"

Fon smiled slightly. "It would not be safe for you to chase her by yourself. It is also best to maintain a safe distance to keep that demon unaware of our presence."

Tsuna pursed his lips. That made sense, even if Fon wasn't sane. Though Tsuna didn't like it, he had to agree. There was no point in him trying to find the woman by himself, especially when he couldn't fight, which…was embarrassing. He'd end up killing him and the woman both. Sighing, he nodded, much to Fon's delight. It was still strange how he was somehow attuned to these people's moods.

"Okay," he said. " _But_  you're not carrying me like before."

Fon tilted his head. "Then how can I—"

"You can just…carry me on your back." It was still embarrassing but not as much as being carried bridal-style. Tsuna needed to buy a car soon. "And can you also go slower…?"

Fon blinked. "Slower." The word might as well be foreign to him. "Was there something wrong before?"

Tsuna didn't have the time for this. "Forget it. Let's just go."

After he hoisted himself onto Fon's back, Tsuna tried hard not to blush when he draped his arms over Fon's broad shoulders. He felt extremely emasculated in this position. Fon's hands were wrapped securely around his thighs and Tsuna silently prayed that he wouldn't pull anything funny.

"Are you alright?" Fon said. "You are quite light. Have you been eating a proper human diet?"

"I'm fine," Tsuna muttered. "Can we just please go find her now?"

He yelped into Fon's shoulder and tightened his arms around the man's neck when the other leapt high in the air. The wind ruffled through his hair and was cold against his cheeks. Once Tsuna was brave enough to take a peek, he saw Fon soaring over four buildings at a time, which was just  _insane_. His eyes widened when he saw the district below. All the streets and buildings looked small but vibrant, with colorful lights and busy roads. Cars and people continuously moved to their own beat, filling the cold air with life. Tsuna could barely believe that he was seeing this or that the world was so small and vulnerable.

"She is over there, Tsunayoshi," Fon said.

Raising his head, Tsuna searched for signs of the woman below. In a moment, they weren't in Block 12 anymore but an abandoned apartment complex. The woman was wandering on the grounds, almost like she was in a daze. Briefly, Tsuna saw something shimmer around her; it vaguely looked like a black rope or thread, something thin. He gasped. "Fon, it's on her!"

Within mere seconds, Fon dashed down to the woman, swiftly rotated in midair, and kicked the invisible creature off of her. Tsuna held onto Fon like a lifeline and couldn't hear himself breathe. His heart thumped rapidly against his chest. He flinched when he heard a strange noise coming from a few feet away. It sounded like a groan mixed with some sharp clicking noise that grated his ears.

"Tsunayoshi," Fon said, "I cannot defeat it with the state I am in right now."

Tsuna widened his eyes. "What do you mean? Then how were you able to carry me here?"

Fon's voice remained calm. "Because I was able to extract some of your core essence through physical contact, though it is limited. Since we are not Harmonized, I am unable to fight it without having you with me. It would be dangerous to leave you alone as you seem to be incapable of fighting." Fon tilted his head. "Has Lal Mirch not explained this to you?"

"She didn't say anything about this!"

They tensed when something rippled in the shadows. The streetlights were too dim around the complex. The strange sound grew louder before it turned into a full-blown shriek. Tsuna winced just as the creature revealed itself. It was about the height of a man but with thinner and longer limbs. Its skin was red, like it was scratched repeatedly, and its face was grotesquely deformed with slits as eyes and a long, crooked mouth that twisted upwards where its nose should be.

Suddenly it lunged forward and rotated rapidly with its claw-like hands extended to strike. Fon dodged it fluidly, moved behind, and kicked it away again. As it rolled on the ground, Fon landed on his feet. "It would be easier if Lal Mirch were here," he said, "but it will take some time for her to catch up to us. There is nothing I can do but stall until she arrives. Even then, I do not think I can destroy it."

"But she said you were like gods!" Tsuna said, his eyes trained on the stumbling creature.

"Yes, but our state now is equivalent to that of a human's. If we were Harmonized, then I would be able to kill it. However, that is not the case."

Tsuna didn't know what he hated more: the fact that Fon was still calm enough to explain what Tsuna should've known by now or that he was in this situation to begin with. His grip stiffened on Fon's shirt. "Then what do we do?"

The creature arched its back and screeched. Fon's hands tightened around Tsuna's thighs. "We stall. I apologize, Tsunayoshi, but I need you for a little longer."

"Wh—"

Fon dashed forward and met the creature in midair. Tsuna screamed when its face appeared inches away from his before Fon hooked his left leg around its thin neck and flipped underneath it in a graceful arch. He hurled the creature to the ground just as he up righted himself in the air. A loud thud sounded from beneath them. Tsuna felt dizzy from the sudden movements, almost falling over if Fon hadn't steadied him. "Are you alright, Tsunayoshi?" he said.

"Wonderful," Tsuna mumbled into Fon's neck.

"I'm glad to hear that. It was a little sudden but not bad. It has been a while since I moved like this."

 _This man does_ not _understand sarcasm at all_ , Tsuna thought with a deadpan expression.

"W—Who are you people?" someone said behind them. "What am I doing here? What is this place?"

Tsuna looked over his shoulder to see the woman gaping at them from the ground. He internally cursed. He had forgotten about her. "Ma'am, it's okay," he said. "We're here to help you. Do you remember how you got here?"

The woman blinked. "Huh? I—I was just going home after getting some groceries and then…" She furrowed her brows. "I…don't know." She looked around the dirty complex. "And then I find myself here…"

The creature stood up shakily, snarling and clicking rapidly. Fon slightly shifted his stance. "Get ready, Tsunayoshi."

The woman screamed. "What  _is_  that?"

Screeching, the creature jumped high over Fon and reached out for the woman with its claw-like hands. Fon sprinted to quickly intercept its attack by hooking his foot around both its thin wrists and rotating to back kick its chest. The woman screamed and covered her eyes when Fon landed in front of her. At this point, Tsuna felt like he was going to throw up. He pressed his forehead against Fon's shoulder in hopes of easing his dizziness, unconsciously breathing in the man's strangely comforting scent.

Before Tsuna could say a word, the creature moaned, its claws growing longer and sharper. How many beatings would it take for the monster to get the message already? The sound of grinding bones made him flinch. The creature's shoulders drooped as it arched its chest.

Its voice was garbled and low. "E…ri…sa…"

The woman's breath hitched. Tsuna furrowed his brows. Erisa? Was that the woman's name or the creature's? Was it sentient? The Butcher had been coherent but not mentally sound, saying something about wanting to eat souls. Tsuna's thoughts were cut short when the creature's claws shot forward like long needles. Fon immediately jumped, making Tsuna gasp. "Wait!"

The claws surrounded the woman below like a parody of scissors. Tsuna screamed, " _No_!"

A long wire shot from a distance, wrapped around the woman's waist, and yanked her away before the claws could slice her limbs. Fon landed on the creature's face with one foot and pushed off, shoving it away.

"Why can't you idiots stay still?" a familiar voice said. Scowling, Lal Mirch held the trembling woman in her arms. The wire led to her gauntlet. "Do you know how hard it is to keep up with you, Fon? I wasted all my energy following your trail and then I see  _this_."

Fon smiled slightly. "I apologize, Lal Mirch." He tilted his head. "I thought you and Tsunayoshi had already Harmonized."

Lal Mirch scoffed. "We almost did until that brat showed up. And then you barged in before I could even get him ready."

Tsuna wanted to bash his head against the wall, preferably the two of their heads together. Maybe it was time to get those anti-spirit talismans his mother had recommended a long time ago. However, he had a feeling that it wouldn't be enough to keep these psychos away. Maybe because it was outnumbered, the creature snarled at them before vanishing in the shadows. Lal Mirch dropped the woman on the floor, making her yelp. "Stay still," she said, untangling the wire. "These have poison nicks on them. You don't want to die, right?"

"W—Who are you?" the woman said, looking at them with wide eyes. "What was that? How did it know my name?" Her breaths became more labored. "I must be dreaming. This is all just a bad dream."

Tsuna tapped Fon's shoulder. "Can you put me down now?"

"It is safer for you to be with me, Tsunayoshi," Fon said.

Lal Mirch narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, right. You couldn't even kill the damn thing. Just let him go."

Tsuna would never believe that he would actually thank Lal Mirch, but he shot her a grateful look when his feet touched solid ground. She returned it with a small smirk. Swaying a bit, Tsuna shook his head before heading over to the woman. "Are you okay, ma'am?" he said.

Lal Mirch got the last of her wire to unravel from the woman's stomach and retracted it into her gauntlet. The contraption dissipated soon after. When Tsuna tried to help the woman up, she slapped his hand away and crawled backwards. "S—Stay away from me!" she said.

Lal Mirch glared at her. "Hey, you're lucky enough to be alive right now without this idiot so the least you could do is show some appreciation."

Tsuna quickly blocked her from actually killing the woman and hissed, "She's terrified. You're just making it worse." He crouched down to the woman's eye-level, keeping a small distance to not frighten her more. "I know everything's overwhelming and that you're scared but please, we're not the bad guys. My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi. I work with the police."

The woman widened her eyes. "Police?"

Tsuna nodded. "I work with them on special cases. I know this might sound hard to believe but I'm telling you the truth. You saw that creature. I'm sorry, but you're not dreaming."

The woman tightly gripped the gravel underneath her. "I'm—I'm not?"

"I'm trying to figure out why it targeted you. I believe it's the same thing that killed Ashida Megumi and Tachibana Chisa."

The woman tensed when Tsuna mentioned their names. She looked down at her lap. "Megumi, Chisa…"

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "Do you know them?"

The woman nodded. "We were friends…since pre-school."

"Then does Erisa sound familiar to you?"

The woman bit her lip. "That's my name. Umeki Erisa."

Tsuna frowned. The dots were slowly being connected in his head. There was a definite connection between the victims, which could make things easier. The creature had specific targets in mind but Tsuna didn't know how many more it was going for. Also, the creature's motives were unclear. It had seemed sentient and knew Erisa's name, but Tsuna needed more information. Furthermore, what did that little girl had to do with this?

"It looks like it has a grudge," Lal Mirch said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Sometimes remnants can manifest with specific goals in mind if their hatred is strong enough." She glanced at Erisa. "It's not going to stop until it kills you."

Erisa inhaled sharply. Tsuna frowned at her sympathetically. "We can protect you. I can call someone from the police. I don't think the creature will hurt you if you're surrounded by people. The murders so far were isolated."

A bout of silence hung in the air. Finally, Erisa slowly nodded. "Okay," she said, letting out a shaky breath. "Okay. Thank you."

Tsuna nodded before grimacing a bit. "I'm sorry but could I borrow your phone? Mine broke a while back."

"Oh, um, yes." Erisa pulled her phone out of her small bag. "Here."

"Thank you." Tsuna dialed Kusakabe's number and waited for the man to pick up.

Two rings passed. "Kusakabe speaking. Who is this?"

"Ah, Kusakabe-san," Tsuna said, "it's Tsuna."

"Sawada-san? Are you alright? I'm en route to your apartment. Whose phone are you using? Did something happen?"

"I'm fine, just, I have a favor to ask of you if you don't mind. I found Ashida-san and Tachibana-san's killer and stopped it from taking its next victim."

"I'm sorry but you  _found_  the killer? Where? How?"

"I can't explain everything right now but I'm with her. Could you come here instead? I was hoping that you could put her under protection. The killer won't stop targeting her."

"O—Of course. Where are you right now?"

"We're at an abandoned apartment complex. Somewhere between Block 12 and 14 in Kokuyo, I think. I don't see the name."

"I know what you're talking about. I'll be there soon."

"Thank you, Kusakabe-san."

After Tsuna hung up, he handed Erisa her phone back. "He'll be here soon."

Erisa nodded, clutching her phone to her chest. "Thank you."

Tsuna reached a hand out to her. "Let's move over there. It'll be more comfortable."

"She can get up herself," Lal Mirch muttered, making Erisa tense.

"I agree," Fon said, his smile still in place. "Her legs are fine, Tsunayoshi."

They both shut up when Tsuna glared at them. After helping Erisa up, he led her to a bench a couple of feet away. Then he noticed her groceries soiled on the ground. Grimacing, he said, "I can ask Kusakabe-san to reimburse you somehow."

Erisa shook her head. "It's fine. I…don't really have an appetite."

Tsuna couldn't respond to that. He sat down next to her with Lal Mirch and Fon standing behind him, their presence almost stifling yet reassuring at the same time. "I'll do my best to protect you," he said. "You don't have to worry, Umeki-san."

Erisa smiled shakily. "Thank you." She looked down at her hands. "I still think I'm dreaming."

"It's okay. I don't expect you to accept it at all. Just know that me and the police will do our best to keep you safe." Tsuna smiled comfortingly. "Leave everything to us."

Erisa chewed on her lip. "Was that thing…the Butcher? I've seen the news and the things that's been happening lately. It seems like stuff you watch in movies, but…it was real. I saw it with my own eyes."

Tsuna shook his head. "No, it's not the Butcher. It's something else. I'm sorry that you had to see that."

Erisa's voice softened. "When I heard Megumi died this morning, I thought it was someone else, but they showed her picture and I just…couldn't believe it. When they said that it was a suicide, I knew that that it couldn't be true. She was going to get married." She chuckled breathlessly. "I remember when she told us when Kaito proposed to her. She was so  _happy_. How could someone who had so much to live for just kill herself? Then when I heard Chisa died, it was just too much…"

"You seem very close."

Sniffling, Erisa nodded. "We ar— _were_. Megumi…was always happy. She could always brighten up the room with just a smile. Everyone loved her. Chisa"—Erisa laughed softly—"You could always depend on her for anything. After college, we got busy with our own lives but we tried to meet up when we could. We just saw each other yesterday…" She quickly wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry. I'm such a mess."

Tsuna shook his head. "No, it's okay. It's fine to let everything out." He searched his jacket pockets to see if he had any tissues and luckily found one. He handed it to Erisa. "Here."

"Hey," Lal Mirch said.

Scowling, Tsuna pulled the tissue away from her reach before giving it to a confused Erisa. "Um, I didn't want to pry before but who are they, Sawada-san?" she said, dabbing her eyes.

Fon's smile tightened slightly. "We are his lo—"

"Cousins!" Tsuna said quickly. "Um, what I mean is that Fon is Hibari-san's…cousin."

Erisa blinked. She glanced at Fon before blushing a bit. "Well, they do look similar."

Fon tilted his head. "Who is—"

"And Lal Mirch is Hibari-san's second cousin! From his…mother's side." Well, Lal Mirch looked scary enough to be part of the Hibari family.

Lal Mirch scowled. "Don't clump me with that ba—"

"They're just here to help with the investigation." Tsuna forced on a smile. "It doesn't hurt to have extra hands sometimes."

Erisa nodded slowly. "I see." She bowed towards them. "Thank you for saving my life, Fon-san, Lal Mirch-san."

Tsuna breathed a small sigh of relief. He almost blew it. He'd think about the consequences later. "Ah, Umeki-san, I was wondering if either Ashida-san or Tachibana-san had a daughter or niece."

Erisa cocked her head. "A daughter or a niece? No, Megumi wanted to wait until she got married and Chisa doesn't like children. They also don't have any siblings. Why?"

Tsuna rubbed the back of his head. "Ah, I see. I was just wondering because…we think that Ashida-san might have been led to the roof by someone before her death. The details are a little fuzzy, but can I describe her to you?"

"Of course."

"She seems to be around 6-years-old, with glasses, rectangular glasses, and black hair up to here." Tsuna gestured vaguely at his shoulders.

Erisa widened her eyes before looking away. "I—I don't know who you're talking about."

"It is not good to lie," Fon said, his smile still faint.

Tsuna waved him off. "It's okay, Umeki-san. Thank you though."

Soon, a pair of bright headlights lit up in the distance. Two black cars appeared at the complex, the gravel crunching underneath their tires. Smiling reassuringly, Tsuna helped Erisa up. "That's them."

Kusakabe exited the car in the front. "Sawada-san!" He looked taken aback when he saw Fon, blinking a couple of times. "And…?"

"I was just showing Hibari-san's cousins around," Tsuna said, silently praying for Kusakabe to get the message. He glanced at Erisa with a strained smile.

Shaking out of his stupor, Kusakabe nodded. "Ah, I see. Right. Thank you, Sawada-san."

"Kusakabe-san," Tsuna said, "this is Umeki Erisa."

"I wish we could meet under better circumstances, Umeki-san," Kusakabe said. "But I can assure you that my men and I will protect you to the fullest capacity."

Erisa bowed. "Thank you. I truly apologize for this."

"There's no need to apologize. You're the victim here. Daiki, take her to the car."

One of the officers saluted. "Yes, sir!"

After Daiki led Erisa away, Kusakabe turned to Tsuna and pulled out a phone from his pocket. "I was just about to deliver this to you when you called," he said. "I put our numbers in there just in case."

Tsuna accepted the orange phone with a smile. It looked exactly like his old phone; even the model was the same. "Thank you, Kusakabe-san. You didn't have to."

Kusakabe shook his head. "It was the least we could do." He pursed his lips. "Are you alright, Sawada-san? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"He's fine," Lal Mirch said.

Kusakabe tensed a bit before regaining his composure. "Ah, yes. Thank you for keeping him safe, Lal Mirch-san." He glanced at Fon. "And you are…?"

Fon smiled slightly. "I am Fon. What is your relationship with Tsunayoshi?"

Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose. "There's  _nothing_  between us. Kusakabe-san is just my…boss."

"Boss," Fon said, testing the word. "Like your master?"

Tsuna looked at him, mortified. It didn't help that Lal Mirch was snickering in the background. " _Work_  boss!"

"Ah, I see."

 _I don't think you do,_ Tsuna thought, mentally tearing his hair out.

"I called for another car to drive you home, Sawada-san," Kusakabe said.

"Oh, thank you," Tsuna said, blinking.

"Is there any way you can explain the situation?"

Tsuna pursed his lips. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, too." He glanced at the car where Erisa was. "But do you mind if I tell you later, after I get things sorted out? I think we'll be okay for now. The killer wanted only Umeki-san and since she's still alive…"

Kusakabe nodded in understanding. "I see. We'll keep her in the station overnight just in case and assign some surveillance officers later. Thank you, Sawada-san."

"It was the least I could do. Please keep her safe."

"We will. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

Lal Mirch climbed in the back of the car first before pulling Tsuna inside, making him yelp. Fon calmly followed suit and closed the door. The driver glanced at the mirror. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes!" Tsuna said, sitting upright. He glared at Lal Mirch who just smiled innocently. "Everything's great."

As the officer drove him back to his apartment, an awkward silence fell in the car. Tsuna felt like melting into his seat. It felt hot. He unzipped his jacket to cool himself down but it didn't work. He jumped when Lal Mirch suddenly whispered in his ear, "You know, for a moment back there, I thought you were going to bring that woman back home."

Tsuna rubbed his ear. "Do you have to do that?"

Lal Mirch glanced at the driver who was speaking into his Bluetooth earpiece. Tsuna sighed. "No. I thought about it but there's too many things I don't know so it would've been counterproductive. You still owe me an explanation,  _both_  of you."

Lal Mirch raised her hands in mock-surrender. "Right."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "Also, it would be better for us if Umeki-san wasn't with us."

Fon tilted his head. "Why is that?"

"Because then that creature won't reveal itself if it sees us around her, specifically you two. I don't know how things work in your world, but I'm guessing that it knows its place when it comes to you guys. Lal Mirch told me before that it would be better if she wasn't fighting against it alone." Tsuna tapped his lips in thought. "Then again, it could just be because it was outnumbered."

He grunted when Lal Mirch pulled him into a headlock and ruffled his hair. "I like the way you think, Tsuna," she said, grinning.

"So you are saying that the woman is bait," Fon said, nodding to himself. "I see. That works in our favor. We must be prepared for the next time then."

"That's not what I said!" Tsuna said. "Lal Mirch, let me go."

"I like it," Lal Mirch said, ignoring him. "Plus, it's faster that way." She grinned almost manically down at him. "We can get more  _acquainted_  after."

Tsuna blushed at the implications. He shook his head. "No! I don't want to!"

Fon just smiled. "Then I will also do my best so that we can get acquainted."

Lal Mirch glared at him. "Hey, I found him first."

"And yet, you have not Harmonized with him."

"Oh, just you wait and see. I'll have him screaming by the end of the week while you watch from the sidelines."

"I have no intentions of being there."

"Is that a bet?"

Tsuna just wanted to die.

* * *

When they entered his apartment, Tsuna tossed his jacket aside and ran inside the kitchen. He groaned when he saw the ruined soba noodles. Sighing, he threw them out and just settled on making some fried rice. Lal Mirch opened his fridge and peered inside. "No wonder you're so skinny," she said. "You need to go shopping."

"My paycheck comes in next week," Tsuna muttered, cooking some simple fried rice. "And I'm  _not_  that skinny. I just…don't eat a lot." He yelped when Fon suddenly touched his waist and almost dropped the pan. "What are you doing?"

Fon's hands roamed around his stomach, almost like he was  _feeling him up_. "I have said this before. You are fairly light. I can feel your ribs, Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna smacked his hands away. "Word of advice, don't get into people's personal space like that! For someone who talks about being polite, you're not like that at all!"

Lal Mirch snickered from the table, chugging down a water bottle. "That's no way to flirt, Fon," she said.

"Like you're any better!" Tsuna said, filling up three plates. "Don't you have somewhere else to stay? A hotel or something? Just eat and go back."

"I don't have money," Lal Mirch said, shrugging. "Spent everything to come here." She smiled at him coyly. "Plus, I found you and wherever you are, I'm there, which is here."

Fon just smiled. "The same goes for me as well."

Tsuna gaped at them. "How did you even manage to get this far?"

"It was easier in the beginning," Lal Mirch said, taking her plate. "We were still at full power for a while."

Fon nodded in thanks when Tsuna placed his dish down. "Yes, but not having Luce took a toll on us and we eventually deteriorated. I was stuck in China for a while because of that." He smiled at Tsuna. "But since Lal Mirch sent us a message that she found a likely-compatible Sky, I did not waste any time coming here."

Tsuna raised a brow. "Luce? Who's Luce? And what do you mean by Sky?"

Lal Mirch pointed her spoon at Fon. "How did you even get a ticket? Last time we spoke, you were in the mountains or something."

Fon smiled. "I spoke to a woman who had a ticket to Namimori and appealed to her empathy. I told her that I needed to see a lost lover before she died. Humans can be quite soft when it comes to emotions."

Lal Mirch blinked. "And she just gave you her ticket?"

"Yes."

Lal Mirch clicked her tongue. "That only worked because you're good-looking. If you weren't, she wouldn't even look at you." She shoveled more rice in her mouth. "Still, good for you, I guess. Also, do you have more of this, Tsuna? It's really good. You can cook."

Tsuna shook his head. "Wait, wait, wait, wait! Back up! Answer my questions! What do you mean by Sky? That's what you called me when I found you. What does that mean? And who's Luce?"

Fon blinked. "You did not explain anything to him?"

Lal Mirch shrugged. "Things happened. Not my fault."

"Ah, well, we are the Arcobaleno," Fon said. "As Lal Mirch had told you, you can think of us as gods or deities, but we're more powerful than your visions of a god. We keep the different planes in balance and are primarily situated in the mortal realm, or what you call Earth. We each have our own skills and functions that distinguish us from another. For example, Lal Mirch's domain is the gateway between Earth and what you would call Heaven. She could be considered a Rain but since her Flames are not as pure, they are a mixture of Rain, Cloud, and Mist. On the other hand, Colonnello is our primary Rain. I, myself, am a Storm. Luce was our Sky until she disappeared and left us." His smile tightened when he spoke Luce's name. "We each represent what you call the weather elements for simple classification. There is Sky, Storm, Rain, Cloud, Lightning, Sun, and Mist, with the exception of Night, which goes to Bermuda. He is in charge of the gateway between Earth and what you would call Hell."

Tsuna's mind swam with the deluge of information. He chewed on his rice in thought. The woman from his dreams flashed in his mind. "Did you find her?"

Lal Mirch scowled at the table. "No. We just ended up wasting our time. She just left. Didn't tell us why or where she went." She leaned back on her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "We die if we don't have a Sky for too long." She smirked at Tsuna, making him shiver. "But I found you and you fit the bill more than perfectly. Congratulations."

"I'm surprised that you even exist, Tsunayoshi," Fon said. "But I'm glad that you do. In a sense, you will help us become whole again. I do admire humans' will but I do not think I can stand the state of my body forever. It's quite oppressive."

Tsuna abruptly stood up then. He passed Lal Mirch his half-finished plate before walking by. "You can eat it," he said.

Lal Mirch tugged his shirt. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to shower," Tsuna said blandly. "Just put your plates in the sink when you're done. I'll wash them later."

He entered the bathroom and locked the door. His shoulders sagged. "I did not sign up for this," he mumbled under his breath, turning on the water.

Instead of a shower, he decided to just take a bath (and maybe drown to death). Shedding his clothes, he crept inside the tub and sighed, the sound echoing in the small space. The warm water felt good on his skin; his muscles relaxed and he sunk deeper until the water reached his chin. He looked up at the white ceiling. His mind was foggy and he was too tired to think.

Tsuna pursed his lips. "I don't want to believe them," he muttered, placing his hand over his chest. His heartbeat quickened a bit. "But…"

He shrieked when the door suddenly slammed open. Some water spilled over the tub. "What the hell?"

Fon smiled at him. "I thought it would be a good time to join you."

" _What_?" Tsuna was torn between kicking Fon out—Tsuna was  _naked—_ or drowning right then and there. "You can come in later when I'm done!"

"I believe that it is a waste to use that much water for so many people at different times," Fon said, entering the bathroom. "Conserving water is quite important, especially with the state of this world, and the bathtub has room for two or three people. It's doable."

"And I believe that you should  _get out_!" Tsuna widened his eyes when Fon started to strip. "What are you  _doing_?"

He flushed when he saw Fon's well-toned chest. That was definitely a six-pack and a dragon tattoo. Oh, God. Tsuna covered his eyes and wished he could just die right then and there. Being a ghost didn't seem too bad in retrospect. What could go wrong? Tsuna's hands muffled his cry when Fon stepped inside the tub and sat down, the water sloshing against him a bit. He tensed when Fon's long legs brushed against his.

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about, Tsunayoshi," Fon said. "We are both men, no?"

"Oh my God, just get  _out_ ," Tsuna spoke into his hands.

"What that hell are you doing?" a voice said from the doorway.

Gasping, Tsuna looked up and paled when he saw Lal Mirch glaring at them. "Wait, no, this isn't—"

He shrieked and covered his eyes again when Lal Mirch just took off her shirt. He heard her toss it aside and her footsteps drawing closer. This wasn't happening, this could  _not_  be happening right now.

"We are just conserving water," Fon said.

"Move, idiot! You're not getting all the fun! How many times do I have to say I found him first?"

Tsuna coughed and sputtered when water rushed in his mouth. He sat up, unknowingly making space for Lal Mirch, and rubbed his face. His eyes widened when he saw Lal Mirch sit in-between him and Fon, her arms draped over the edge of the bathtub. He tried hard not to stare.

"Get used to it, Tsuna," Lal Mirch said, running a hand through her hair. "I can't have you freakin' out on me later in bed." Tsuna just stared at her, mortified. She narrowed her eyes. "Have you been with a woman before?" She eyed him up and down. "Nah, you're definitely a virgin." She grinned. "You were all flustered when I kissed you. It was cute."

Shit. Fon wasn't smiling. "You kissed him?"

"Yeah, because I found him first."

"But you have not Harmonized."

"We  _will_ , and I call first dibs."

Tsuna nearly choked on his spit. "I—I'm not!"

Immediately, Fon and Lal Mirch's gazes zeroed in on him. A chill settled in the air. Tsuna flushed and hugged his knees closer to his chest. He wished that he could just blend in with the walls.

"You're not  _what_ , Tsuna?" Lal Mirch said, her voice low.

"Not—Not—" Tsuna couldn't find the words to speak properly. "Not…Harmonizing?"

And just like that, the tension dissipated. Lal Mirch shrugged. "Oh, no worries." She winked. "We'll get there. I'll make sure to give you a good time."

Fon's smile returned. "Ah, for a moment, I thought you were about to say that you are not a virgin."

Lal Mirch nodded seriously. " _That_  would be a different story."

For the umpteenth time that day, Tsuna wanted to just drop dead.

* * *

Tsuna almost collapsed on his bed. After that hell, he just wanted to sleep and hopefully wake up to an empty apartment with no psycho gods around or whatever. He yelped when Lal Mirch plopped down beside him. "I call this spot," she said.

Tsuna gaped at her. "Why are you on my bed? I gave you a futon!"

His bed sunk on the other side where Fon sat. The man smiled at him as he slipped under the covers. "It is better to protect you when we are with you."

" _What_?"

Tsuna grunted when Lal Mirch hugged him against her chest, making him blush. He was right on her…breasts. His face felt like it'd explode any second. A cool, rippling sensation flowed through his body, making him relax. Lal Mirch hushed him gently as she ran a hand through his hair. "Just go to sleep, Tsuna."

Fon draped an arm over his waist just as Tsuna's eyes closed shut and darkness sweetly enveloped him.

* * *

He didn't dream that night, which was a first. It felt almost liberating,  _nice_.

When Tsuna stirred awake, he was greeted with an empty bed. He blinked a couple of times. Was this when the dream would start…? He sat up, the covers falling from his shoulders, and looked around groggily. Fon and Lal Mirch were gone. Ignoring the small emptiness in his chest at the sight, Tsuna stumbled out of his bed. The floor was cold against his feet until he slipped on his slippers. He checked the time: 8:21 AM.

That…wasn't bad. He'd usually get up much later since he was mostly exhausted from working on Hibari's cases or his night shift at the restaurant. Right, he had to call his boss and somehow beg him not to fire him. Ruffling his hair, Tsuna opened his door and headed outside. He rubbed his eyes to get rid of some remaining sleep.

"Oh, you're up."

Tsuna froze. Slowly, he lowered his hands to see Lal Mirch, Fon, and another  _stranger_  at his dining table. Lal Mirch grinned at him, leaning her cheek on her fist. "You look cute like that," she said. "Doesn't he?"

The green-haired man fixed his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "I cannot determine that without more sufficient evidence."

Lal Mirch rolled her eyes. "Come on.  _Look_ at him."

"I am."

"He looks like, I don't know, a bunny."

"That is not possible. The human anatomy—"

Lal Mirch dropped her face on her hand. "Forget it. Just shut up."

Fon smiled at Tsuna. "I took the liberty of brewing some tea, if you don't mind. You only had green tea though. Could you get some oolong tea the next time you go shopping?"

Tsuna wisely didn't mention that the green tea was mostly for Hibari. "Who  _are_  you? What—How did you get  _in_?"

The stranger considered him with sharp eyes that belied his nearly haggard state. "I'm Verde, the Lightning Arcobaleno. You are Sawada Tsunayoshi, supposedly our Sky. I'll have to study you further to see if we are compatible to Harmonize. Until then, pretend I'm not here in order for me to observe you properly."

Tsuna just stared at him. "Can I ask a question?" he said slowly.

"You never answered mine about the oolong tea," Fon said. Was he  _pouting_?

Lal Mirch sighed. "Go ahead."

"Exactly  _how_ many are there of you people?"

Lal Mirch smirked in amusement. "Three down, five more to go."

Tsuna didn't even bother to ask if any of them were sane. They just grew stranger as they kept appearing in his house.

He really wanted to die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, tons of stuff going on here. But hope you enjoyed the fan service. Also, Lal Mirch shortened Tsuna's name to Tsuna because it's easier. :^D
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	5. Chapter 5

" _Where there is anger, there is always pain underneath."_ – Eckhart Tolle

* * *

Not even a minute passed before Tsuna turned around and headed for the bathroom. He winced when he heard the hinges squeak. Right, Fon had somehow pushed it open, even though it had been  _locked_. Tsuna shook his head to get rid of the mental images from last night. Now there was another one in his kitchen who seemed even stranger, with his green hair and white coat. He vaguely wondered if he should be surprised by this anymore. Any normal person would have a heart attack when they see strangers popping out of nowhere in their homes, and Tsuna  _wanted_  to be normal.

"I'm hungry, Tsuna," Lal Mirch said. "Can you make something?"

Tsuna sighed. "Just wait."

He closed the bathroom door behind him, grimacing at the loose door knob, and splashed some cold water on his face before looking in the mirror. There were some dark circles forming underneath his eyes and his skin was a bit pale.

"Are you okay, Tsuna-nii?" a small voice said.

Tsuna tensed until he saw that it was just Lambo, who sat by the bathtub. He attempted to smile at the boy but it came out shaky. "I'm fine."

"They're scary," Lambo said, hugging his knees closer to his chest and sniffling. "The mean lady said that I couldn't see you or—or she'd send me away. I don't want to leave…"

Crouching, Tsuna hushed him gently. He patted Lambo's head and shivered from his cold form. "She's not going to send you away."

Lambo peered at him over his small knees. "She looked scared; she didn't leave you. I thought you were dead…"

"I'm not dead, see?" Tsuna placed a hand on Lambo's, warm against cold. "I'm fine. Don't worry, Lambo."

A knock came from the door, making them tense. "Hey." It was Lal Mirch. "You're taking a while. You okay? If you don't answer, I'm kicking down the door."

Tsuna sighed irritably. "Stop kicking the doors! Do you know how much repairs cost?" He looked back to see Lambo had vanished, probably terrified of meeting Lal Mirch again. Tsuna ran a hand through his hair. He preferably wanted to sleep again and never wake up. He yelped when the door slammed open, almost flinging off the hinges. "I  _answered_!"

"What are you doing down there?" Lal Mirch said, quirking a brow.

Tsuna let out an aggravated groan before standing up. "Nothing! Why did you kick the door?"

"You didn't answer fast enough."

Tsuna deadpanned. "That's a terrible excuse and you know it."

Lal Mirch shrugged. "I'm hungry, too."

Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose. They were more like children than gods. Sighing, he pointed at the door. "If you fix it, I'll feed you."

Lal Mirch blinked. " _Hah_? Since when did you start pulling punches?"

Tsuna brushed past her, a bold move considering that she could probably kill him anytime. "No fixed door, no food." He glanced at Verde who was scribbling down notes in a thick, pocket-sized notebook. Fon gave Tsuna a smile that he didn't return. "Are you…a doctor, Verde-san?"

Verde didn't look up. "No."

"Oh…"

Scratching his head, Tsuna opened the fridge. He winced when he saw that he only had one egg carton left; and since there were more people he'd have to feed—oh God, the amount of groceries he had to buy in the future was already making his headache worse; wait, was he actually accepting this?—he had to make more servings. Silently thanking his mother's culinary skills, Tsuna decided to just make egg rice. There was some rice left to last another week or so…but that was when Tsuna lived  _alone_.

"Don't you have your own place?" he said, washing the rice in the sink. "Like a house? You said that you're gods, right? You also mentioned something about different planes, too."

"We do," Fon said, "but it is impossible to return to."

Tsuna frowned. Impossible? Did that have to do with how they were now? They  _did_  mention that their current state was like a human's. Fon even said that he could only draw something about core essence through physical contact.

"What are you thinking of?" Verde suddenly said, snapping Tsuna out of his thoughts.

Blinking, Tsuna placed the rice bowl inside the cooker and pressed the heat button, setting off the timer. "I'm just trying to make sense of what you…are." He turned to face Verde, who had paused his writing. "I never got the chance to think about everything that's been happening. It's…a lot to take in, but I have the feeling I don't have a choice."

Fon smiled slightly. "There have been no choices for any of us. We did not choose to have our Sky leave nor did you choose to be a Sky. It is simply as it is."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "That doesn't mean that we just sit there and let it all happen. You didn't choose to have your Sky leave, but all of you still chose to search for her anyways, right? I don't even know what a Sky is or how I am one, but that doesn't mean I'm just going to let you people barge into my life and expect me to go with the flow just like that." He crossed his arms over his chest. "So help me understand."

Fon blinked before his eyes twinkled in amusement. "You are an interesting young man, Tsunayoshi. I had first assumed that you were just, ah, what was the saying? All bat but no balls?"

Lal Mirch burst out laughing in the background. On the floor, she had a screwdriver from God knows where and was almost done fixing the door, surprisingly. "I think you mean all bark but no bite."

She doubled over again in laughter while Tsuna just stared at Fon who didn't seem the least bit embarrassed. The man rubbed his chin in thought. "Oh, I see." He smiled. "Let me correct myself. I—"

Tsuna waved him off while massaging his nose. "No. All bark, no bite. Yeah. Got it." He pursed his lips. "I honestly don't care what you think of me. I just need to know why you're here and any information you left out."

Verde clicked his pen. "What do you know?"

Tsuna deadpanned. "All I got is that you're like gods, balance of the planes, angry spirits, and something about the weather. So if you can, please fill in the gaps so I can get a better picture."

Verde crossed his legs as Lal Mirch arrived at the table and plopped down next to Fon. "I don't understand why you didn't inform him of the more critical details. How did you expect to Harmonize? From what I gather, none of you even are Harmonized. You're aware of the consequences and yet you're just wasting more time."

Lal Mirch draped an arm over her chair. "We're getting there. Besides, I told you. We've been busy."

"That isn't a viable excuse."

Lal Mirch rolled her eyes. "If you saw the trouble Tsuna gets himself into, you wouldn't be complaining."

Shifting, Tsuna looked between them, absolutely lost. His hands tightened around his arms. Any moment now and a fight would probably break out. "I don't get myself into trouble," he said, clearing his throat awkwardly. "It's…always been like this."

Lal Mirch raised a brow. "So you had demons chase you your whole life?" She scoffed. "Stop lying. You didn't know anything about the remnants or how to access your true abilities, so you have no right to talk crap like that."

Tsuna's jaw momentarily clenched. "And you have no right to talk like you know anything about my life." Lal Mirch blinked. "I get that you're gods. I get that you might not know how humans work, but my life wasn't any easier before all of this happened. So don't even try to think that you know me, because you don't. I don't know anything about you but I'm not trying to pretend like I do. From what  _I_ gathered, you're just leeches. If you want to change that, go ahead; but that doesn't mean I'll accept anything you give me. I'm not an idiot so don't try to push me."

A moment of silence fell in the kitchen. Tsuna was briefly reminded of his school days, his bullies' jeers and laughter ringing in his ears. They had stuck with him for so long that they didn't move him anymore; they were just annoying echoes of the past. Tsuna had learned the hard way that no one was always there or willing to help; usually, it came with baggage he wasn't willing to carry. He admitted that he wasn't the toughest person out there but he refused to just take the punches. That was an idiot's way to live.

Clicking his pen, Verde scribbled something in his notes. "I see potential in this."

Tsuna blinked in confusion. Lal Mirch smirked at him, and her eyes gleamed with an unsavory look. "See? I told you."

Fon smiled. "It appears that you can bite, Tsunayoshi."

The rice cooker let out a cheerful trill before steam hissed into the air. For a moment, Tsuna stared at the three gods in disbelief before slowly rubbing his face with his hand. Why did he even expect them to listen? Still, he couldn't believe it. They were either ignorant or stupid. Probably both.

He brought out four bowls and just filled them up with rice. After seasoning them with soy sauce, Aji-no-moto, mirin, and Hondashi, he cracked an egg over each bowl, imagining them to be their heads. The thought didn't soothe his nerves. Grabbing some spoons, he balanced the bowls on his arms and distributed them to each Arcobaleno. "Eat," he said blandly, sitting next to Verde.

Lal Mirch grinned. "Thanks!"

"Thank you," Fon said, nodding.

Verde just stared at his food like it was a foreign substance. Tsuna forcefully mixed the egg with his rice, his spoon clinking against his bowl. "It's not poisoned," he said. "And it's edible."

Lal Mirch nodded. "Tsuna can cook."

Tsuna scowled at her, which went unnoticed as she happily munched on her food. Fon ate his quietly, not sparing anyone a glance. He looked pretty content, the bastard. Verde still didn't pick up his spoon. "I'm not hungry," he said, resuming to write in his notebook. The language was unlike anything Tsuna had ever seen. It looked like swirls and odd shapes.

Tsuna's brow twitched. "I don't care. Eat."

Verde didn't even look at him. "I'm not hungry."

Tsuna glared at him while Lal Mirch just looked on in interest, not helping at all. He reached over to snatch Verde's pen away but gasped when a green spark ignited from where his fingers brushed against his hand. He dropped the pen more out of surprise than pain; it clattered on the table. That strange feeling rose in his chest again, his heartbeat quickening its pace. Verde stared down at his hand for a moment before looking up at Tsuna with unreadable eyes. "I look forward to our future endeavors, Tsunayoshi," he said, picking up his pen and slipping it in his coat's breast pocket.

Tsuna stared at him, wide-eyed. What just happened? He slowly sat back in his seat while Verde closed his notebook and calmly stirred his rice and egg like Tsuna had done. Lal Mirch licked some rice off her spoon. "I still call first dibs," she said.

"It should happen sooner or later," Fon said. "However, I doubt that it will be you. You already missed your chance."

Lal Mirch scowled at him. "Hey,  _I'm_  going to be the first because  _I_  found him first. Finders keepers."

Tsuna just focused on eating as the two bickered in the background. Harmonizing—they kept mentioning that, but what did it actually  _mean_? He glanced at Verde who didn't bother himself to join the others' squabble. Finally, Tsuna leaned a little closer to the man so he could whisper, "Um, Verde-san, can I ask you a question?"

Verde didn't look at him. "You already have."

Tsuna blinked. Was that supposed to be funny or…? He shook his head. Never mind that. "What's Harmonizing?"

Silence fell on the table; aside from Verde chewing on his food, no one spoke. Tsuna glanced at the others who just stared at him oddly. Even Fon didn't look composed like he usually was.

"Harmonizing is when our Flames integrate successfully with Sky Flames," Verde said. "It's the perfect, coexisting bond between us and our Sky. Essentially it creates a whole unity in each and every individual that is participating in the amalgamation."

Tsuna made a small face. Amalgamation? Coexisting bond? "Oh…"

Drawing his pen from his pocket, Verde opened his notebook to a fresh page. Tsuna widened his eyes when he caught a glimpse of all the notes and strange drawings that flipped by. Verde drew a perfect circle in the center before drawing eight more circles around it, connecting them back to the middle with straight lines. "The Sky is the heart of our bond," he said, writing down "Sky" in kanji in the central circle. His handwriting was inexplicably worse than Tsuna's. "Without it, each element is unable to sustain itself for long. That's why we're not at full capacity at the moment. Our powers and lifeforce deteriorated each year after our Sky disappeared. The bond disappears over time if our Sky is gone or cut from the union. We'll all cease to exist unless we find another Sky in time."

Tsuna watched quietly as Verde filled in the other circles with their respective elements that Fon had told him yesterday, except, there was one element he didn't recognize on the circle above "Sky": Cloudy Rain. He tilted his head. "What does that mean?"

"That's me," Lal Mirch said. "I have three elements because of my domain."

Verde nodded. "Because Lal Mirch handles the gateway between what you call Earth and Heaven, her Flames aren't as pure like ours. However, that doesn't mean that she's imbalanced. She's no different from the rest of us in terms of power." He glanced at Tsuna. "She's lucky to find you at all. We'd all be dead within a few weeks' time from my last estimate."

Tsuna paled. Lal Mirch didn't meet his eyes, lost in her own thoughts. So it was true. She  _was_  dying when they first met. They all were. He chewed on his lip. That…changed things. However, that didn't automatically mean that he would  _help_  them. Even if he considered himself a nice guy, there was an order to things and he didn't want to be forced to make decisions that considered his well-being. Call him selfish but he called it trying to survive. Or rather, he wanted to know more about what he was getting himself into.

Verde wrote Lal Mirch's name above "Cloudy Rain" before moving on to the next circle to the right: Rain. "Since we're distinguished by our element classification, we also each have specific abilities. Rain's particular aptitude is Tranquility, which can weaken anything. For example, robbing your body of strength or impairing movements. It's also useful in appeasing emotions when needed. Colonnello is our Rain who you haven't met yet. He's currently in Rome."

Tsuna tensed when he remembered Lal Mirch making him go limp before, and the cool sensation that caused it. When their eyes met, she gave him a lazy V-sign, making him look away. That was just…terrible. Not even rude, just terrible.

Verde scribbled down Colonnello's name next to "Rain" and moved on to the next circle: Storm. "You've been acquainted with this one already. Fon is our Storm, which has the special ability Disintegration. As the name suggests, it can inflict great destruction, break through strong barriers, and minimize damages when needed."

Tsuna didn't like hearing any of this. Seeing the dead was something he could handle to an extent, but this level of the supernatural was just…unreal. Gods, monsters, different realms. He wasn't a religious person but it would be a little easier if things were just simple. Then again, when had his life ever been simple?

"I would have instantly destroyed the demon yesterday if I was at full power," Fon said unhelpfully.

Verde twirled his pen in his hand. "Demon is too broad of a term. It's more direct to just call them Remnant."

"No one asked," Lal Mirch muttered under her breath.

Verde ignored her and simply moved on to the next circle after writing down Fon's name beside "Storm": Sun. "Sun's ability is Activation. It improves the efficiency of any type of activity, enhancing the person's speed, strength, and healing that can also extend to others. Reborn is our Sun and was last reported to be in Palermo."

Reborn? What a strange name. Verde put down Reborn's name and moved on to the next circle: Night. "Bermuda is the holder of the Night Flame, which special ability is Teleportation. It's the most overpowering Flame amongst us; he can decimate entire areas with high bursts of energy and increase his own base power level. His most potent skill is creating portals that can connect different areas. He is currently in Austria."

Writing down Bermuda's name, Verde lightly dragged his pen to the next element: Cloud. "Skull is our Cloud, which has the ability of Propagation. It's capable of absorbing other Flames and multiplying. It can also make his body extremely durable and exponentially grow in size. He is currently in Los Angeles."

Verde scribbled down Skull's name and moved on: Lightning. "As I've said before, I'm the Lightning Arcobaleno. My Flames have the special ability, Hardening. It's simply an enhancer for my shields and offensive attacks. I just came from Italy."

Tsuna tilted his head. "How?"

"I had built my own plane some time ago and flew here." Verde wrote down his name next to his element. "Finding you was simple because your trail is distinct. I didn't need your address. Each of us has a distinct trail according to the color of our Flames. It can't be seen by those without Flames and can't be hidden from Flame-wielders as well. Your trail is orange. Lal Mirch is dark blue, Colonello is light blue, Fon is red, Reborn is yellow, Bermuda is black, Skull is purple, mine is green, and Viper is indigo."

Tsuna widened his eyes. "Wait, you built your own  _plane_?"

Verde glanced at him. "Yes. I find human science and technology primitive but impressive considering your inferior states. It's something to just pass the time."

Tsuna just blinked. Was that a compliment and an insult wrapped up in one sentence? Verde finally arrived at the last element: Mist. "Viper is our Mist, which has the ability of Construction. They can create illusions that can become real; the imaginative, the better. They're not anything like human so-called magic tricks."

Tsuna tilted his head. "They?"

"Viper does not identify as male or female. They're non-binary in human terms." Verde drew his pen back to the center on Sky. "As I've said before, Sky is the heart of our bond. Its special ability is Harmony, which allows it to synchronize with its surroundings and other Flames, hence Harmonizing. I have a theory that it can Harmonize with other Flames outside of their bond but haven't been able to test it yet. It's basic for all of us to see the essence of both the dead and living since we're the bridge from your reality to others, but there are some things that we can't do that only Skies can. Luce can see visions of the future and view the memories of the dead like you from what Lal Mirch had told me."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "I can see the dead and their memories briefly but I can't see the future."

"That's to be expected. The only known Sky-Flame users have different abilities. Luce can see the future, Giotto can sense danger at an acute level, and Byakuran can travel to parallel universes." Verde tore out the page he had written on and handed it to Tsuna. "You can keep it for reference. I'm not keen on repeating what I just told you."

Tsuna accepted the piece of paper with both hands. "Who are the others?"

Lal Mirch let out a frustrated noise. "That's for another time. We're the ones dying."

Frowning, Tsuna read over the names written in Verde's messy handwriting. He guessed that the information he got was doable enough for now. He tried to commit the names to memory but knew it'd take some time. Then again, their names were all strange and sounded foreign. "How can you speak Japanese, Verde-san?" Tsuna said. "You mentioned that most people are coming from the west, and Fon came all the way from China…"

"We're older than the Earth itself," Verde said. "It'd be useless for us not knowing how to speak the human languages. Is there a reason why you refer to them by their names and attach '-san' to mine? Calling them by their names would indicate an intimate bond, but from what I've seen, you don't seem to like them."

"That's too stuffy," Lal Mirch said, waving her hand. "I don't really care."

Fon tapped his chin in thought. "While it is more respectful, I do not mind either." He smiled. "I can make an exception for Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna deadpanned. "It's because I only have respect for Verde-san out of the three of you. At least he seems to have everything together."

Silence reigned above the table. Tsuna didn't even twitch. He just stared at Verde's notebook and waited for the bomb to explode. On cue, Lal Mirch slammed her hand on the table. "What?  _Verde_  having everything together?" She scoffed. "He's the worst out of all of us. Nothing matters to him but his creepy experiments. I bet that's why Luce left, because she just couldn't  _stand_  him."

"I would not go that far," Fon said, "but Verde has never got along with any of us, not even Luce. We can only guess what he's thinking and still wouldn't understand."

Tsuna made a face. "You're both horrible." The two blinked. "This isn't making you look any better. I don't know what your issues are, but just because you're talking bad about Verde-san doesn't mean I'm going to hate him. You're supposed to be gods, except you have no respect for anything or anyone. I don't know any of you like you know each other but I think you're both sexually-harassing psychos. Verde-san is the only one who's  _normal_ so far. You know what? Maybe I'll just Harmonize with him first."

It was meant to be a joke, a bad one but still a joke, when a sudden chill coursed through the air. Tsuna tensed when Lal Mirch's cup cracked in her hand, the quiet fracture sounding loud in the silence. Fon's smile disappeared instantly.

"Hey," Lal Mirch said, her voice low, "watch what you say."

"It is not wise to speak about Harmonizing so carelessly," Fon said. "You are unaware of the implications but that is not something I— _we_  will let go easily."

Verde smirked, his lips twitching just ever so slightly. "They're correct," he said, making Tsuna's breath hitch. "While I'm flattered, it's best to keep that to yourself, Tsunayoshi. Since we've been without a Sky for 10 years, we're not exactly in a sound state." Verde's glasses glinted under the light. "I advise caution, especially when the others arrive. It'll become like a powder keg when everyone's in the same room as you. A Sky is extremely rare, and it's only with luck that we found you, especially one that's most likely compatible with us."

Tsuna nearly dropped his spoon. He wasn't prepared for this,  _any_  of this. His heart thumped against his chest, almost painful, at the thought of more gods, and the strange feeling had surged again, warm and longing. It terrified him.

"You've been inactive until now," Verde said. "Your Flames must've awakened when you first met Lal Mirch, and now that more of us will arrive soon, they'll only grow more potent in response. It's inevitable to Harmonize, Tsunayoshi. It's our most basic instinct, similar to when animals have to mate." He closed his notebook. "For now, you still have a say on this. However, I doubt any of us will let you go that easily. The realms' balance rests on your decision. Since our bond isn't complete, the other planes are not in the greatest state either, which is why there's been an influx of Remnants lately. I advise that you make your decision soon or risk your world being destroyed in the near future."

Tsuna swallowed his rice thickly. That was overwhelming, too much. His mind just blanked out. But there was something that just didn't sit right with him, no matter how silly it seemed on the priorities' list. "Wait," he said, "how do you Harmonize? You said…animals and…"

"Harmonization can only be completed by the most intimate act," Verde said, not batting an eye. "Do you need a—"

"I know what you mean!" Tsuna said, waving his hands. "Just—Why  _that_? I can't—"

"Do not worry, Tsunayoshi," Fon said. "It's quite pleasurable, really."

Lal Mirch smiled at him coyly. "It'll hurt  _just_  a little bit, but it'll be worth it, I promise."

Tsuna gaped. "Are you  _crazy_? Why would I do that with  _any_  of you?"

"Because we're hot," Lal Mirch said. "That's one. Don't deny it."

Fon nodded. "I have been told countless times that I am very handsome."

Tsuna flushed. "That's not the  _point_! I wouldn't do  _that_  with you just because!"

Verde looked at him blankly. "You're not concerned about your world being destroyed?"

Tsuna made a face. "You're supposed to be the smart one! Do you really think I'll just agree to go with all of this?" Sighing, he massaged his temples to assuage his headache. "Look, give me a little more time to think about it. I'm just—You caught me at a bad time. I need to get this case done before I can do anything.  _Then_  we can talk about it."

His phone then buzzed in his pocket with a text message from Kusakabe:  _Good morning, Sawada-san. Due to the urgency of the cases, we'll be picking you up in about an hour. Is that alright with you?_

"Who is that?" Fon said.

"Kusakabe-san," Tsuna said, typing a response. "I need to go out."

Verde raised a brow. "You're in a relationship wi—"

"He's just my  _boss_!" Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, let's get this straight first. Kusakabe-san is my boss, more like the messenger, and Hibari-san is  _his_  boss. He's in charge of the homicide unit. I've never been on a date in my life, still a virgin, no prior relationships, nothing! Got it? We all ask first before making assumptions."

Lal Mirch fanned her face. "Might as well air the rest of your dirty laundry while you're at it. Not even a kiss?"

Tsuna flushed. He looked down at his hands. "You…were my first kiss."

"Ha!" Lal Mirch grinned at the other men. "First kiss, first dibs!" She crossed her arms over her chest. "See? I told you our Sky would be in Japan and what did you idiots say?  _Europe_? Please."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "I thought you were looking for Lu— _your_  Sky."

Verde fixed his glasses. "Yes, but there's no point in trying to find someone who doesn't want to be found."

Lal Mirch narrowed her eyes. "Like you ever cared about her."

Tsuna gave her a warning look before standing up and taking everyone's empty bowls. He placed them in the sink. Best not to linger on touchy topics. "Moving on," he said. "You said there were five more." He turned around and leaned against the counter, picking up the name chart Verde had given him. "I don't want to be caught off guard again so tell me what they're like. Let's just…make this as normal as possible, please."

Fon smiled. "We can do that."

"So"—Tsuna looked down at the page—"Reborn. Sun. What's he like?"

Lal Mirch huffed. "A know-it-all asshole with an ego." She inclined on her chair. "But it's justified."

"He is not that terrible," Fon said. "He is a good sparring partner and a very powerful fighter in his own right."

"Arrogant fool," was Verde's lackluster response.

Tsuna winced. Why did he think that he'd get anything useful out of them?

"Oh," Lal Mirch said, "you should get a coffee machine. He's obsessed with espresso for some reason. Just a heads up in case you don't want to get shot."

Tsuna paled. "S—Shot?" Did these people know how much a coffee machine even  _cost_? Anything above 500 yen was too much for his meager salary. Plus, he had his rent and bills to pay. "I'll…try. Um, what about Colonnello?"

Lal Mirch scoffed. "Idiot with an even worse ego."

"He can be quite loud but is a capable fighter," Fon said. "It's best not to get between him and Reborn for your own safety, Tsunayoshi. They can get quite intense."

"An unfortunate accident," Verde said blandly.

Lal Mirch snorted. "You're not wrong there."

Tsuna wasn't sure if that was a joke or not. He had a feeling that Verde was just that kind of person. Still, it was a little mean…

"Okay," he said in hopes of steering away from dark territory. "Bermuda?"

Lal Mirch scrunched her nose. "Think Reborn but more…gloomy."

"It is not wise to incur his wrath," Fon said. "He cannot be tamed easily once he does."

"Volatile and insatiable," Verde said.

How could they just get  _worse_?

"Oh, okay," Tsuna said. "How about…Skull?"

"Huge pushover," Lal Mirch said. "And spineless."

Fon sipped his cup of tea. "He is mostly used as target practice for Reborn and Colonnello. He is weak in both mind and heart."

Verde flipped his notebook to a page, already bored with the conversation. "Bottom of the food chain."

Tsuna couldn't help but feel bad for this Skull person. He kind of reminded him of, well, himself. "I see. Well, what about Viper?"

Lal Mirch clicked her tongue. "Greedy bastard."

Fon slightly pursed his lips. "They value money above anything else. It is quite sad."

Verde started writing things down in his notebook. "Avaricious but cunning."

"Ah..." Tsuna checked the time before gasping. "I have 15 minutes!"

He dashed inside his bedroom to throw on some random jeans and a white hoodie. Slipping on some socks, he ran to the bathroom, slipping a couple of times, to brush his teeth. The door was fine (hopefully it stayed that way). Before he could grab his jacket, Lal Mirch blocked his path. "Where are you going?" she said.

Tsuna frowned. "I told you. I have my priorities and you have yours. I need to solve the case."

"We're coming with you."

Tsuna widened his eyes. "You can't come with me!"

Lal Mirch raised a brow. "Why not?"

"Because—Because you're not—"

"Are you doubting our skills?" Fon said. "We are more than capable of protecting you and keeping you safe."

"That's not the problem," Tsuna said, trying to walk past Lal Mirch. "If I bring all three of you, people will talk. You're all very…different. People will notice."

Lal Mirch smirked. "There's nothing to worry about. We went over some things while you were asleep."

Verde pulled out a small, metallic-looking cube from his coat pocket. Now that he was standing, Tsuna couldn't believe his how tall he was. He seemed taller than Fon. Placing the cube on the table, Verde pressed his thumb on a small indentation on the top. It glowed green, revealing several jagged lines, and immediately started unfolding itself with several small clinks. Tsuna gawked as the small cube morphed into a bulky, silver suitcase with two compartments. "How did you…"

Verde unlocked the clasps on top, revealing piles of immaculate black suits inside. "I stopped looking for Luce after the second year," he said, placing three neatly-folded suits on the table. "Instead of wasting my time for a trivial pursuit, I placed my efforts in something more useful before I lost my abilities. These clothes are laced with my Flames so they're impenetrable by normal human means. The inside is coated with Rain Flames that I had taken from Colonnello to keep your emotions at bay since humans can be quite sensitive with emotional ticks."

Tsuna could barely believe what he was hearing. "That's…amazing, Verde-san."

"This is nothing," Verde said, meeting his gaze. "They're just serving their purpose."

Tsuna tensed when Lal Mirch slung an arm over his shoulder. She grinned. "Don't worry, Tsuna. We have it  _all_  covered. Just sit back and relax."

He wasn't sure if he would.

* * *

Thankfully, Hibari wasn't with Kusakabe when the man came to pick them up; though Kusakabe stared at Verde for a while. Tsuna quickly took the shotgun seat before anyone could say a word. Although, he did have to admit that the three Arcobaleno looked really nice in their suits. He mentally thumped his head against the ground. Did he just seriously think that?

He didn't know what they were planning. Gods or not, they should be kept on a leash, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to be the one holding it. No one spoke in the car, not even when they arrived at the police station. There were some reporters lingering outside the gates, but they were blocked by some patrol officers from entering. After Kusakabe parked the car, he didn't hesitate on exiting. Tsuna followed suit, feeling out of place and a little terrified of his casual clothes. He really needed to do the laundry but didn't get the time. Hibari was going to kill him.

 _I'm not even getting paid for this_ , Tsuna thought bitterly, following Kusakabe inside.  _So why bother with a dress code? People will know that I'm not a detective anyways._

He did ask Hibari about money but was quickly "bitten to death" and lectured to about community service, which was just bullshit. Community service wasn't going to bring food to the table or pay his rent. It sure as hell wasn't going to give him, what was it, "satisfaction of the city's protection". He wasn't a Namimori fanatic like Hibari was. The police couldn't even solve some of their cases without him playing messenger. Still, Tsuna didn't ask again because he liked living, even if it sucked most of the time. And Hibari was ruthless. Tsuna had to stay in the hospital for a week.

"Come this way," Kusakabe said, leading them to the elevator. "Kyo-san is waiting for you."

Heads turned when they walked past desks and offices. Cops and detectives stared wide-eyed at the three Arcobaleno. Tsuna couldn't help but sneak a peek at them. Neither of them spared anyone a glance, just taking in their surroundings with calm and calculating eyes. Verde seemed to be writing things down in his small notebook, mumbling a foreign language under his breath. Oddly, they seemed more like the gods they called themselves in their pristine black suits. Looking away, Tsuna followed Kusakabe inside the elevator. The man pressed the button for the fifth floor.

Finally, Tsuna said, "How is Umeki-san?"

"She's fine," Kusakabe said. "We had her stay overnight and nothing unusual happened. She's still here in case you needed to speak with her. She was agreeable with the arrangements."

Tsuna nodded. "Okay, thank you, Kusakabe-san."

Lal Mirch crossed her arms over her chest. "Your base isn't bad."

Kusakabe blinked before quickly composing himself. "Ah, thank you…"

"You have a few blind spots with your security cameras," Verde said, scribbling things down in his notebook. "I'd like to see the building's blueprint to check for adding extra security measures."

Kusakabe glanced at Tsuna who just hopelessly shrugged. "I see… Well, first we should discuss your business here before going any further."

The elevator doors dinged open. Verde pushed his glasses up slightly as he stepped out first, scanning the area. "Reasonable."

They followed Kusakabe down the long, empty hallways that were decked with scroll paintings and quaint calligraphy. Potted bamboo plants adorned the offices with sturdy tables and standard business chairs. Finally, they arrived at the office, which was at the end of the hall. Kusakabe knocked on the mahogany doors twice before turning the handle. The fragrance of green tea permeated in the air along with some incense. Hibari sat at one of his black couches, sipping his tea, looking without a care in the world.

Tsuna glanced at Fon who didn't seem to react to his strange look-alike. Verde's suits were  _really_  amazing.

"Kyo-san," Kuskabe said, "Sawada-san and…the others are here."

Hibari looked up then, but his gaze instantly focused on Tsuna's attire just like expected. Unconsciously, Tsuna stepped back, gritting his teeth.

"Herbivore," Hibari said, placing his tea on the table in front of him, "what are you wearing?"

Tsuna tensed. "I—I couldn't—"

His breath hitched when Hibari brandished his tonfas from his sleeves. It happened all too fast. Tsuna covered his face with his arms out of instinct, his heart hammering against his chest. A small whoosh of air brushed against him and the sound of impact made him look up. His eyes widened. Fon had stepped in front of him in an instant and easily blocked Hibari's attack, pushing the other's right arm up and winding it behind his back. Hibari tried to strike Fon with his other tonfa but Fon was faster, sweeping his legs and pinning him to the ground.

Kusakabe widened his eyes. "Kyo-san!"

Tsuna could barely breathe. Fon smiled slightly. "I am not someone you should challenge, child." Hibari grunted when Fon pressed his knee against his spine. "The human body is more fragile than you think. You are a second away from losing your legs." He smiled with a slight edge. "You can live without them, yes? Humans are  _fairly_  impressive creatures."

When Kusakabe's hand went to his gun, Tsuna gasped. "Fon, let him go!"

Fon looked up at him, his face eerily calm. "Why? He tried to hurt you."

Tsuna clenched his hands into fists by his side. His body shook from the suffocating tension in the room. "If you hurt him, you'll only get in more trouble." He stared straight into Fon's eyes, not backing down. "Let him go."

A few minutes passed before Fon finally let Hibari go. However, he disarmed the tonfa from Hibari's hand with his  _foot_  and balanced it on the tip of his dress shoe. Fon smiled down at Hibari. "Do refrain from harming Tsunayoshi in the near future," he said. "I will not hold back the next time."

Hibari glared at him. Tsuna had never seen him so worked up before. The other man swung his other tonfa towards Fon's ribs but Fon blocked it with his forearm and disarmed it by twisting Hibari's arm upward in an almost painful angle, forcing him to drop the weapon. Tsuna opened his mouth to tell them to stop when Lal Mirch placed a hand on his shoulder, keeping him in place.

Fon's smile didn't disappear. "Again, it is not wise challenging me, child. You have a long way before you can fight me."

"Kyo-san," Kusakabe said, his hand on his gun.

Hibari and Fon stared at each other, one angry the other calm, before Hibari clicked his tongue. "Unhand me, carnivore."

Fon let him go, tossing the balancing tonfa lightly in the air and kicking it towards the wall. A deafening thud sounded through the air. Tsuna and Kusakabe gaped. The tonfa was embedded deeply in the wall with cracks all around it. Some debris trickled onto the floor. Fon smiled at Hibari. "A very long way," he said.

Hibari glowered at him, and if looks could kill, Fon would be dead. Tsuna released a small breath he didn't know he was holding. Lal Mirch led him to the couch and sat him down next to her before Verde took his other side, scribbling something in his notebook like usual. When Fon passed by, Tsuna thoughtlessly grabbed his hand. "Are you okay?" he said quietly.

Fon smiled gently at him. "I am. Thank you."

He caressed Tsuna's cheek so tenderly that it made him blush. A scorching heat surged in his body, but it disappeared so quickly he thought he had imagined it. After Fon sat down beside Verde, Hibari picked up his tonfa and managed to impressively wrench the other one from the wall. He ignored Kusakabe and sat down across from the rest of them, his sharp eyes on only Fon.

Kusakabe awkwardly cleared his throat, standing behind Hibari. "May we…commence?"

Tsuna glanced at Verde who finally looked up from his notebook. "I'm Verde. This is Fon and Lal Mirch. We're part of an exorcist community from Italy called the Arcobaleno and came here upon Tsunayoshi's request to assist in your recent cases."

 _What_? Lal Mirch's hand quickly rested on Tsuna's lower back, releasing a bit of Rain Flames to keep him calm. He didn't— _couldn't_  flinch when Hibari looked at him.

"Explain, herbivore," he said.

"We don't have time for the pleasantries," Verde said. "Regarding the Butcher case, it isn't a human being like you think. Rather, it's a Remnant."

Kusakabe blinked. "I—I'm sorry?"

"Your world's in danger," Lal Mirch said, grabbing his attention. "And we're here to clean up the mess."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of the Arcobaleno lore, some things are cleared up, and the case still moves forward. :^D
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	6. Chapter 6

" _You only lie when you're afraid."_ – John Gotti

* * *

Silence hung in the office. If Lal Mirch didn't have her hand on Tsuna, sending small waves of Rain Flames to keep him calm, he would've bolted by now. Hibari wasn't an easy man—scratch that, he was fucking  _difficult_ , going in only one way while everyone else took several different routes to solve their problems. Tsuna hoped that the Arcobaleno knew what they were doing.

"I'm sorry, but you said that…our world is in danger?" Kusakabe said, breaking the silence.

Hibari didn't look amused or terrified. His gray eyes were trained on Fon who didn't spare him a glance. Lal Mirch nodded. "Yeah, that's what I just said. You've been getting cases of bizarre murders, right? Most of them aren't something that should be dealt by normal means."

"We deal with things that you'd call supernatural," Verde said, closing his notebook. "Malevolent spirits, demons, the dead. Our duty is to keep them from entering your world, the human realm, and causing chaos. Understand that these aren't what you'd call demons since that is a broad term in itself. We call them Remnants."

Kusakabe furrowed his brows as he tried to keep up, admirably. Tsuna could only imagine all the shit he'd already went through and now this. "Remnants?"

"Yes, think of them as pieces of the dead that have lingered for too long in the human world, neither moving on to what you would call Heaven or Hell. Those terms are actually vague in that they're not the Heaven and Hell that you think of. The different religious spectrums regarding them—"

Lal Mirch deadpanned. "Verde, shut up."

Verde didn't miss a beat, unperturbed by Lal Mirch's rudeness or being interrupted. "Perhaps another time."

Fon smiled slightly, which made Hibari tense up. "Simply put, Remnants are the enduring pieces left behind by spirits who are guilty or angry. In most cases, they manifest into beings that have only one purpose: to devour human souls. It is their simple-minded notion that they could become human again that makes them that way. Although, in less common cases, if a spirit's hatred is powerful enough, it can become nearly sentient with a more specific purpose, therefore having particular targets in mind."

"Your so-called Butcher," Lal Mirch said, "tried to kill Tsuna a few days ago. If I hadn't been in the area, he would've died." She pursed her lips. "How could you just let him wander around like that? If Tsuna was killed, you guys would be all on your own and we wouldn't be here."

Verde snapped his cufflink to reveal a silver watch on his left wrist. Tsuna peered at it curiously, noting small four buttons that surrounded the center, which was a rectangular screen. After Verde pressed a button on the top right corner, a green hologram lit up in front of him like a small TV. Tsuna widened his eyes as Verde selected an image and zoomed in.

"This is your Butcher," Verde said, flipping the image for Hibari and Kusakabe to see better. "I recreated it from Lal Mirch's description."

Tsuna felt strange being relaxed when he saw the creature that had tried to kill him. It was a large, shapeless blob with a long slit for a mouth and sharp teeth coated with purple liquid. Thick tendrils swarmed around it like hovering knives. Kusakabe paled while Hibari looked on with disinterest. Verde swiped the hologram screen to a list of names and pictures—the victims.

"Wait," Kusakabe said, "how did you get those?"

"There's no clear pattern with the victimology," Verde said, ignoring him, "which made the Butcher dangerous and unpredictable to track; however, it isn't intelligent." The victim's faces floated up into rows before a map of Kokuyo appeared below them. Several red dots lit up around Blocks 29, 30, and 31. "These kinds of Remnants, which are categorized as Berserkers and the most common, hunt in a particular area and rarely venture too far out of convenience. Additionally, this zone has a dense population; the more people there are, the more souls to consume."

Kusakabe shifted on his feet, his brows furrowed in deep thought. "I…see. Our team  _did_  see a reoccurring geographical pattern but were unable to find any viable suspects due to the sporadic victimology. Neither of the victims had any connection to each other so we categorized the Butcher as a disorganized killer. With no evidence or lead, we've made no progress and only drew the public's ire." He rubbed his neck. "I…never expected this though."

Verde didn't give him much time to mull it over. Again, he swiped on the holographic screen to another set of data, which appeared seamlessly through little green cubes. It showed three portraits of women: Ashida Megumi, Tachibana Chisa, and Umeki Erisa. "The current case has three identified victims. The first two are dead while the third one survived. There's also a clear connection between them."

Kusakabe rubbed his chin. "Yes, from what we've been able to find, they were friends since pre-school. However, that doesn't really tell us much. Neither of them have any enemies. Ashida-san's fiancée told us that she was dedicated to her work. Her parents and coworkers say the same thing. With Tachibana-san, she was a tough woman but most of her colleagues and students liked her. Umeki-san has a clean record and she's on good terms in her workplace."

"It is always best to not trust the words of others so easily," Fon said.

Lal Mirch looked to Kusakabe. "He's right. This Remnant has a deep grudge and they're the worst kind. They're called Grievers. Judging from the victims' connection, something must've happened, or rather, they wronged someone before their death."

Verde selected another picture, zooming out to give a 3-D view. It was the thin, gangly Remnant from last night. "This is the killer. I've gathered that it can slice through human bone and flesh easily, judging from the victims' wound. It's not an easy feat since ligament and tendon structures are protected by surrounding tissues and—"

Lal Mirch sighed quietly. "Verde."

Verde ignored her and just brought up images of the victims' corpses. Tsuna slightly cringed. They were…just really unpleasant to look at. Kusakabe gaped. "Verde-san,  _how_  did you—"

"It'll be too complicated for you to understand," Verde said blandly. "After looking at the images, I noticed something interesting. The first victim lost her head and the second victim lost her arms. The third victim, from what Fon told me, was aiming to take her torso. This reveals more about the Griever. You could call it Body Snatcher in your language; simply, it's collecting different body parts to assemble the image it wanted to be when it had been alive."

If Lal Mirch wasn't keeping Tsuna calm, he would've flinched. No matter how much he didn't want to believe it, it somehow made  _sense_. The head, the arms—but why? Verde said that the Griever wanted to become something it could've been or wanted to be when it was alive, but  _why_? And there  _was_  something else about this: the little girl.

"Kusakabe-san," Tsuna said, drawing everyone's attention, "do you have a yearbook from Umeki's san's class year?"

Nodding, Kusakabe headed towards one of the many cabinets in Hibari's office, which were filled with school records from all of Namimori's schools. Talk about school spirit. Hibari was a strange man. Soon, Kusakabe brought over an impeccably well-kept yearbook that had 1998 engraved on the maroon cover.

"Thank you," Tsuna said, taking it with both hands.

He flipped through the laminated pages carefully, passing pictures of school festivals, field trips, and celebrations, until he found the students' pictures. When he turned the page again, his breath hitched: Kageyama Ayame. What caught his attention next was the picture next to her's. Identical twins—Kageyama Ayame and Kageyama Aika. They both had short black hair and brown eyes aside from Ayame's glasses, her shy smile, and Aika's cheeky grin. Tsuna pointed at Ayame's picture. "I saw her in my vision," he said. "She called out to Megumi before she died."

Kusakabe furrowed his brows. "Is she related to that cre—Griever somehow?"

"I don't know," Tsuna said. "But I don't think she's the enemy. She appeared in my…house and showed me where Umeki-san was so I could save her. If she wanted to hurt her, she wouldn't be helping her. Kusakabe-san, could you get some information about her and her sister? I think that'll help."

Kusakabe nodded. "Of course." He glanced at Hibari. "Kyo-san."

Hibari didn't move, his eyes trained on Tsuna despite Fon's wary look. Finally, he stood up, brushing his suit jacket. "Herbivore," he said, pinning Tsuna to the spot with a glare, "don't leave."

"Wait, Hiba—"

Lal Mirch held Tsuna back as Hibari left the office. Kusakabe gave him a strained smile before following after him.

"I must say," Fon said, "it is quite problematic for that child to look like me so much."

Lal Mirch let out a loud sigh and draped her arms over the couch. "That's what I'm sayin'," she said, wrinkling her nose. "I thought I was talking to your twin. It's freaky. Did you fool around or something?"

Fon tilted his head. "No. I have spent most of my time in China searching for Luce. Besides, we cannot conceive children."

Tsuna blinked. "Wait, what?"

"It's an inconvenience to us if we can produce children," Verde said, closing the holograms. "Though humans are ignorant for the most part, they're unintentional intellectuals when they can be. Have you not heard of their tales about gods and their children? If we can conceive, it'd only create unnecessary situations."

"Basically, having kids mean problems and problems mean effort," Lal Mirch deadpanned. "We don't have the time for that."

Tsuna rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Oh…"

Lal Mirch crossed her legs. "Besides, kid are disgusting."

"They are alright," Fon said, "with the right discipline."

Tsuna didn't want to know what he meant by discipline. Closing the yearbook, he stood up and placed it back in the cabinet Kusakabe had taken it from. "Anyways, we need to find Kageyama Aika." He glanced over his shoulder. "Umeki-san night not talk and we don't have the time for that. Verde-san…what does your watch do exactly?"

Verde resumed writing in his notebook, not looking up. "It's a portable GPS with a hacking mechanism and has space for a variety of data-entry. I created it with my Flames because human watches aren't as durable."

Tsuna looked at him in awe. "That's incredible, Verde-san! What other stuff did you make?"

"Hey," Lal Mirch said, "we're going to be stuck here all day if you get him going. Just get this case done and over with. You wanted to do something about that little girl, right?"

Tsuna frowned. "Right. Sorry. I just wanted to ask you, Verde-san, if you could find information about Kageyama Ayame and her sister." He looked down at the smooth wooden flooring. "It's not that I don't trust the police. They can only do so much and this is a really…weird situation for them."

Lal Mirch smiled lazily. "So you're using us?"

Tsuna huffed. "That's not what I said. I want to help Umeki-san."

"Why?" Fon said. "You do not know her."

Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose, becoming easily irritated again being away from Lal Mirch. "I'm not repeating myself again."

"Is this your job?" Verde said, still scribbling in his notebook about God knew what.

Tsuna ignored the question. "Can you do it, Verde-san?" He clenched his hands into fists. "Please…"

Silence hung in the room. Tsuna didn't look at them, afraid he might blow up from the accumulating pressure in his head. It was too quiet. Finally, a small beep came sounded in the air before a faint green light glowed in front of him. Looking up, Tsuna watched Verde type something on the screens, the keyboard making tiny beeping sounds. Newspaper articles and a picture of Ayame popped up. Verde skimmed it quickly, browsing through several different articles in seconds. "Kageyama Ayame was killed in a car accident while attending a birthday party," he said. "She was 6 years old and died upon impact."

That explained the green dress and blood. Tsuna moved around to get a better view of the holograms. Different articles from Namimori Times, Kokuyo Daily, and Midori Reporter were assorted in rows with the headlines: "Child Killed in Accident", "Hit-and-Run in Midori; One Killed", and "Driver Prosecuted For Hit-and-Run". Apparently, Ayame had been trying to cross the road when a car passed a red light and hit her.

"It wasn't their fault," a small voice said.

Tsuna turned around to see Ayame standing by the door, her eyes downcast. Blood dripped from her head and soaked her dress, creating pitter-patter sounds in the room. Despite the Arcobaleno being there, she didn't seem too intimidated, or at least, she didn't run away. Still she kept her gaze on her dirty feet. "It wasn't their fault…"

"What?" Tsuna said. "What wasn't their fault?"

Ayame stiffened. "She's coming."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "Who?"

"Oi," Lal Mirch said, propping a hand on her hip, "just spit it out."

Ayame sucked in a breath. "Please help her. Please. It wasn't their fault."

Tsuna tried to reach out to her when she vanished. "Wait!" He whirled around to glare at Lal Mirch. "You scared her off!"

Lal Mirch didn't bat an eye. "No, but you wouldn't have gotten an answer anyways. Have you ever had a spirit tell you directly what happened to them?"

Tsuna groaned in frustration. "No, but I could've gotten more out of her if you hadn't said that!"

"Spirits are stuck in a loop," Fon said. "They are not always aware of what is happening around them. They do not see or perceive things clearly. What she sees is her friend, not Umeki Erisa or Ashida Megumi. This is what we call the Veil."

"The Veil is a spiritual phenomenon classified for spirits," Verde said. "As Fon said, they're mostly unable to perceive their surroundings or realize that they're dead. They're unable to comprehend things rationally, mostly guided by their innate emotions that transferred over from their death. Spirits aren't able to move on unless they've been appeased or sent to Paradisus. That's our word for your impractical notion of Heaven."

That explained how all the victims Tsuna met had only given him vague, almost nonsensical descriptions to how they died, leaving him and the police to piece things together. "Okay," Tsuna said. Lightly, he clapped his hands over his nose and sighed. "Let's focus on what we're going to do next. Something happened between them and the Griever must be connected to it somehow. Ayame said to save her, but Umeki-san is still in the station and nothing has happened so far. What about her sister, Verde-san?"

Verde had already changed the screens to a different set of pictures and an obituary. "Kageyama Aika has been dead for two months. She overdosed on sleeping pills."

"There's your killer," Lal Mirch said.

Tsuna pursed his lips. "How would you know that?"

Lal Mirch shrugged. "It has specific targets that are connected, there's reasonable motive, and we can just go kill it."

"That doesn't explain  _why_  the Remnant is killing them. You said that they're negative pieces left behind."

"And what will you do if you learn why it wants to kill those women?" Fon said. "It is much easier to destroy it before it does much worse. There is no need to understand it."

"We don't just go around destroying  _things_!" Tsuna said. "Verde-san, you said that they're pieces of the spirits. Doesn't that mean that a part of them is still there?"

Verde pressed a button on his watch, making the holograms disappear. "In a sense, yes."

Lal Mirch slightly narrowed her eyes. "Verde."

"However, that doesn't mean that it has a sound mind. Remnants act on pure emotion and instinct, so it'll be difficult trying to appeal to them. They originate from Purgatorium, which is what you would call Hell, but is more related to purgatory. The ones that managed to escape are the ones that haven't been completely purified. Because our dichotomy was thrown off after Luce left, the other realms are also weakening, but at a gradual pace. Without Lal Mirch or Bermuda to keep the gateways stable, there will be spirits and Remnants alike trying to enter your world."

Tsuna massaged the bridge of his nose. "Okay, I didn't ask for all of that but thank you, I guess. So there's still a part of them remaining inside." He looked towards the door. "Umeki-san will be fine for now as long as she doesn't leave the station." He grimaced. "And I don't want you and Hibari-san to make a scene."

Fon stood up from the couch. "What are you planning?"

"Verde-san, can you tell me where Kageyama-san lived?"

Lal Mirch raised a brow. "Tsuna, what are you doing? Don't tell me you're going to do something stupid."

"I'm going to find out what happened and why that Griever is trying to kill them. If it  _is_  Kageyama-san, then I want to know what kept her here." Tsuna glanced at the three over his shoulder. "Don't expect me to do things your way. I have a conscious I want to keep intact and I'm not planning on throwing it away any time soon."

Lal Mirch smirked. "Oh, nice spine you got there." She walked towards him, her dress shoes clacking lightly against the floor. "I'm still all for killing it, but I'll let you take the lead this time."

Tsuna eyed her warily while Fon followed behind her. He smiled. "And I will not let it get away this time."

Verde stood up from the couch, jotting down more notes in his notebook. "It's an hour's drive from here."

After sending a quick text to Kusakabe about keeping Hibari-san out of the loop for a while and to question Umeki-san about Ayame, Tsuna opened the door.

"By the way," Lal Mirch said, "isn't that guy going to go crazy again for us leaving?"

Tsuna sighed. "At this point, does it even matter?"

Fon's smile sharpened. "Have you been in a rel—"

"No!"

Tsuna just wanted to help Ayame pass over and protect Umeki-san. Even though the Arcobaleno were a nice boost of help, why did everything seem so much harder?

* * *

Aika's apartment was in Block 11, Midori. It was a quaint, 12-story building with nice windows. Midori was the richest district in Namimori, with a handful of private schools and wealthy families that exhibited a strong influence over the city. Hibari's family also lived here but Tsuna didn't bother to know where.

After paying the taxi driver, who had eyed them oddly when they entered his cab, Tsuna headed for the apartment's entrance. There was a buzzer outside the newly-painted door with a list of all the residents and their room numbers above it. Tsuna went down the list until he found Kageyama Jiro, the twins' father's name. He rang the apartment number.

A gruff voice spoke through, "What?"

"This is a package delivery, sir!" Tsuna said in a cheery voice.

"Huh? I didn't order anythin'."

"Hmm, is this Kageyama Jiro?"

"Yeah…"

"Jiro Kageyama, 1-3 Midori-cho, Midori, Nami—"

"Yes, yes! Hell, stop talkin' so loud. The government's probably listenin' in!"

A loud buzz sounded through the machine before the door unlocked. Fon was fast enough to open it for Tsuna who just blinked at the smiling man. "Thank you…?"

"Of course," Fon said. "Watch your step."

The four of them clambered up the stairs since the father lived on the second floor and taking the elevator would just take more time.

"What are you trying to do, Tsunayoshi?" Fon said.

"Find out what happened to Ayame and her sister," Tsuna said. "Maybe I can find something there, too."

"He's not going to let us in," Lal Mirch said. "I told you. It's easier to just use that woman as bait and kill it."

When they finally arrived at 305, Tsuna knocked on the door. "He will."

There was a small crash behind the door, some curse words, and grunts that made Tsuna step back. Lal Mirch placed her hand on his shoulder while Fon hovered beside him. Verde stood behind but his pen wasn't moving. Finally, a small trill sounded from the door, echoing in the bright hallways, before the door jerked open. The scent of alcohol and cigarette smoke wafted in Tsuna's nose.

A stout man stood at the doorway, his gray hair messy and his beard unshaven. He wore a green shirt with a strange stain, probably from takeout, and some black shorts. There were dark circles under his eyes, which reminded Tsuna of fish eyes, wide and lifeless. The man made a face. "Who the hell are you?" he said, his breath reeking of beer. "Where's my package?"

"I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi," Tsuna said. "I'm with the Namimori Police and these are…some detectives. I'm sorry for approaching you like this, but we came here about your daughters."

Jiro narrowed his eyes as he leaned heavily on the doorway. "What? That's been done and over with. The hell are you tryin' to do? Get out of my sight!"

"Please, this is important."

Tsuna flinched when Jiro attempted to punch his face until Lal Mirch caught his weak fist and stepped in front of him. "You better think twice, pig," she said calmly, "or I'll tear your arm off. I'll be like snapping a twig."

Jiro gritted his teeth, squirming uselessly in Lal Mirch's grip. "W—Who the hell are you? Let go of me, you bitch!"

When Tsuna blinked, Ayame appeared behind Jiro's legs. She stared up at her father, her brows furrowed. "Papa?" she said quietly. "Is that you, Papa?"

"I'm here about your daughters," Tsuna repeated. "I apologize, but it'll help us with our case."

"They're dead!" Jiro said, baring his teeth. "What more do you people want from me? Why can't you leave me alone? My wife died because of you fuckin' bastards! You think that just because you're wearin' some fancy suits that you're better than us? You just take and take and take!" He laughed almost hysterically; some spit dribbled down his chin. "Well, I'm a man with nothin' anymore so there's  _nothin'_ you can take from me!"

Ayame trembled. "Papa, stop it."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "You're scaring her. You're scaring  _Ayame_. She's afraid of you."

Jiro made a confused sound. "What the hell did you say? You have no right to say my daughter's name!"

He cried out in pain when Lal Mirch twisted his wrist in a painful angle. "You're not thinking," she said.

"Papa liked the beach," Ayame said. "The blue and pink seashell we found together, he still has it"—she looked at Tsuna with a bit of hope—"right?"

"You both found a blue and pink seashell on the beach together," Tsuna said, making Jiro go rigid. "Do you still have it?"

Jiro stared at him. "W—What? How"—he snarled—"What the fuck do you know? Just get the hell out!  _Out_!"

Fon struck a nerve on Jiro's neck, knocking him out cold. Tsuna sucked in a small breath when the man slumped on the ground in a heap. "Why did you do that?" he hissed. "How are we supposed to get anything out of him now?"

"He is only unconscious," Fon said.

Lal Mirch pushed Tsuna inside. "He wasn't going to let us in anyways and we weren't getting anywhere. Besides, aren't we on a schedule?"

Tsuna clicked his tongue before coughing from the strong odor in the apartment. It was enough for two people. Dirty dishes were piled in the sink; several credit card bills and empty takeout boxes filled the small table in the living room, with beer bottles strewn on the dirty brown carpet. Tsuna walked over to open the windows and let in some air. Ayame appeared beside him, staring at her father's unconscious body with a frown. "Why is Papa like that?" she said. "Mama told him not to drink anymore."

Tsuna raised a hand to silence Lal Mirch. Crouching, he looked up at Ayame's dull brown eyes; her broken glasses were crooked on her nose. "Ayame," he said, "do you know what happened to you?"

Ayame blinked slowly. "I…don't know. It's cold." She gazed down at him. "But you're…so warm." Many spirits had told Tsuna the same thing. "Why is Papa like that? Why won't he look at me?"

Tsuna licked his chapped lips. "Ayame, do you remember anything before you came here? Megumi—do you remember her?"

"Megumi-chan?" Ayame gasped. "Megumi-chan! Is she okay? Chisa-chan, Erisa-chan, and Kasumi-chan—are they all okay, too?"

Tsuna furrowed his brows when she mentioned Kasumi but filed it away for later. "Are they your friends?"

Ayame faltered before looking down at her feet. "Ah, Megumi-Chan—Megumi-chan is really nice. She said she liked me. I don't think the others did but Megumi-chan invited me anyways."

"Invited? Where did she invite you to?"

Ayame smiled shyly. "Her birthday party. She said I could come."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "What happened at the party? Can you show me?"

"Tsuna," Lal Mirch said, "don't."

"It's fine," Tsuna said, not looking at her. "I've done this before." He shrugged off Fon's hand from his shoulder. "This isn't dangerous. I won't die." He looked back at Ayame. "Show me what happened."

As soon as their hands touched, Tsuna felt like his mind was sucked in some vacuum. The apartment was gone and he was looking at Midori Park through Ayame's eyes. The sun shone brightly above him and the trees swayed with the warm breeze. He could hear the adults and children chattering all around him until they soon faded away. There was the sound of paper being torn and a small squeal. A younger Megumi held up a cute keychain doll in the air; it was a small teddy bear with a pink ribbon tied around its neck. The scene shifted and Tsuna soon found himself running, trying to catch up with Megumi and three other girls as they dashed across the street. Megumi waved at him—Ayame—with a grin when something caught his eye. The teddy bear had fallen from Megumi's skirt. He paused before reaching for it on the ground. Tires screeched in the background and a brutal impact suddenly tore through his body.

" _Ayame-chan!_ "

Tsuna heaved in a sharp gasp, stumbling to the ground. His body trembled as Lal Mirch supported his back, kneeling beside him. Her Rain Flames soon soothed the phantom sensation of pain that coursed through him; still, he could feel the car slamming into him and the ground painfully meeting his head. Ayame flinched when Lal Mirch looked at her.

" _Leave_ ," she said.

Tsuna raised his trembling hand to stop Ayame but she had already disappeared. Slumping against Lal Mirch, he rubbed his face and sighed against his clammy hands. "I think you were right," he said. "The Griever could be her sister but…" He could still hear Megumi's scream in his ears, tires screeching, the harsh sound of metal against flesh and bone. "It wasn't their fault. She was talking about Megumi and the others. Ayame tried…to get the doll back to her but…"

"It is not a good idea to look through the eyes of the dead, Tsunayoshi," Fon said, crouching to caress his cheek. "Their memories, their pain, their fear—all of them strains your body and mind needlessly."

Tsuna brushed his hand away. He struggled to stand with Lal Mirch's help. "I have to do it to help Ayame and Umeki-san." He swayed a bit before regaining his footing. "No one else can. Verde-san, did Kageyama-san overdose in her room?"

"The bathroom," Verde said, his eyes on his notebook. "Her father found her a few hours later after coming back from work."

Tsuna stumbled towards the bathroom, pushing the door open. A faint tingle prickled in his chest when he stepped inside. It was fairly clean, and aside from the lack of soap, everything was intact. Tsuna knelt down by the tub, sensing the lingering traces of Aika's emotional fragments. He reached out and touched the cold tile floors before his mind warped elsewhere.

He was looking at Aika through the mirror, her face pale and eyes red from crying; she wore a long baggy shirt that hung on her thin frame. If Tsuna didn't know Aika was Ayame's twin, he would've easily mistaken her for the other, even though she was much older now. A sudden wave nausea pulsed in his head, making him—Aika—stagger. Garbled thoughts raced through his dizzying head:  _Why do I look like this—Nee-chan, why are you here—My face, I hate it—Fuck those bitches, living a good life—Tou-san snapped at me—I need—What the hell's the point—Stop_ talking _to me—Fuck—Get out—I want—They don't fucking deserve—This is the 4_ _th_ _time I got fired—Shitty people with their shitty dogs—_

A scream tore from his lips when she scratched her face. Blood dripped down her sunken cheeks. "I  _hate_ you!" she screamed at the mirror.

Tsuna gasped deeply and held onto the tub for support. Rage thundered in his chest, but the guilt and pain were heavier, weighing him down. He panted hard to catch his breath until Lal Mirch placed a hand on his heaving back, dousing him with Rain Flames. Soon, he relaxed, almost relishing the cool Flames mollifying the dark emotions.

"You're an idiot," Lal Mirch said, hauling him up to his feet. "Come on. You got what you wanted. Let's go."

"No," Tsuna said, "we need to go back to the station."

Lal Mirch pursed her lips. "What are you saying? You've done enough."

Tsuna smiled humorlessly. "No, I haven't. I need to help Ayame pass over."

Fon held the door for him again as they left the apartment. "Pass over? Ah, do you mean sending her to Paradisus? Can you do that?"

Tsuna brushed past him, careful not to step on Jiro's hand. "No, they just…see the light when they're ready to go. I just help them with what they need."

"How long have you been doing this?" Verde said.

"Long enough. Let's go. We need to talk to Umeki-san."

Lal Mirch sighed. "Why? You already have enough. Just send a text to that man and go home."

"Look," Tsuna said, turning around to face them, "I'm trying to do everything I can to help Ayame and you're not holding your end of the deal. You're supposed to  _help me_ , not tell me what to do, Lal Mirch."

Fon tilted his head. "Deal? What deal?"

"It's nothing," Lal Mirch said.

"A deal for each other's benefits," Verde said, pushing up his glasses. "If Lal Mirch helps Tsuna with the case considering the fact that she met him when this occurred, then Tsuna would help her after." At Tsuna's incredulous look, he said, "It's the most obvious logical conclusion."

Tsuna only sighed. "Let's just go."

* * *

When they arrived at the police station, no one stopped them from heading to the second floor. Tsuna led the others to where Hibari's team was. The homicide unit grew a bit ever since the murders in Namimori took on a more bizarre turn, even though none of the detectives stayed for too long. The longest was probably a month before Hibari kicked him out, literally.

There were eight detectives divided into two units that handled different cases at a time. Kusakabe was the one to actually handle the administrative work while Hibari carried out the arrests and interrogations. The detectives did most of the groundwork but weren't utilized well in Tsuna's opinion, but what could he do? Trying to stand up to Hibari's regime was like trying to move three mountains at once.

A few detectives sat at their desks, which were pushed against each other to distinguish their team units, and looked through old newspaper articles. Kusakabe perked up when he saw Tsuna enter the office while Hibari stared Fon down from his office chair. Fon just smiled at him, making the other man's brow twitch.

"Sawada-san," Kusakabe said, "you're back."

"I told you to stay put, herbivore," Hibari said.

Tsuna tried hard not to tense under the his piercing gaze. "I—I had to do something, Hibari-san, not sit around all day. Umeki-san is still in danger." He cleared his throat. "We just came back from Kageyama Aika's apartment."

Kusakabe furrowed his brows. "Yes, we have here that she committed suicide two months ago. She OD'ed. Did you speak with her father?"

Tsuna grimaced. "Um, kind of. Not really. Could I talk to you in private, Kusakabe-san?"

"Yes, of course."

Kusakabe led him and the Arcobaleno to his office, closing the door after Hibari followed inside. Tsuna took a small breath. Usually he'd tell Kusakabe anything he saw or heard from the spirits because talking to Hibari was like talking to a brick wall. "Ayame was at Ashida-san's birthday. She got hit by a car when she tried to get a keychain doll she gave to Ashida-san as a gift; we believe that her sister, Aika, is the Griever. I saw her…before her death. She was in a really bad place. She blamed herself for Ayame's death but she placed all that anger on the other women. There's also a reason why Kageyama-san…took specific body parts. When I saw her, she looked like Ayame and that must've taken a toll on her; seeing her sister's face no matter where she went was a heavy reminder of Ayame."

Silence fell in the office. Kusakabe crossed his arms over his broad chest. "How do you propose we stop it?" he said. "It can't be stopped normally and I'm assuming that our weapons won't work against it."

Tsuna grimaced. "Yes, about that, Umeki-san is Aika's current target and she still is."

Lal Mirch huffed under her breath. "We're going to use her as bait, is what he wants to say."

"That's not what I meant," Tsuna muttered half-heartedly.

"Grievers usually linger around a particular area due to some emotional attachment," Verde said. "It can be where they have died or another place that has a deeper meaning for them. However, in this case, the Griever could be rooted somewhere else since it didn't appear at the woman's apartment. I narrowed it down to the place where the accident had occurred."

Kusakabe sighed heavily. "I've spoken with Umeki-san and asked her about Kageyama Ayame but she didn't really give me much to work with. I think her guilt is holding her back."

"Let me talk to her," Tsuna said. "I can tell her everything."

Kusakabe frowned. "But from what I've heard so far, is it safe to have Umeki-san so exposed like that? How will we know if…the Griever will appear? We're not properly equipped to fight it."

"You aren't," Lal Mirch said, "but we are."

Fon smiled. "While the human ability can be fairly impressive, you have your limits."

Verde pressed a button on his watch that displayed the plan that he had made in the taxi. He pointed at the street where Ayame was killed. "This park has many trees that can cover us from view. Your men"—he gestured at the white lines around the park—"will be stationed here as needed to keep humans out and the Griever in. Of course, you'll need around 30 at minimum to ensure a secure border. We'll contain the damages in here." He pointed at a small clearing. "We'll need at least 2 or 3 officers to keep an eye on the bait as well."

"Umeki-san," Tsuna corrected.

Hibari narrowed his eyes. "Carnivore, I will not be left out."

Verde didn't bat an eye. "I don't see you having anything. Otherwise, I would've liked exchanging ideas." Tsuna had the feeling that he didn't mean that. "However, since we're the ones with better expertise on this, it's best to leave it in our hands."

"This is my territory."

Fon smiled slightly. "You are very young to be talking about such abstract concepts, child. You probably cannot even imagine how much I have."

Hibari glared at him. "I will not have  _vermin_  tell me what to do."

"Or we can just leave," Lal Mirch said. "We're not obligated to help you. Besides"—she brushed a hand over Tsuna's back, making him shiver—"we're only here because Tsuna asked us. I don't mind leaving this city to suffer. There are other places worth saving."

Tsuna gave her a warning look that she easily brushed off. Kusakabe's face looked faintly pinched. He glanced at Hibari and they seemed to exchange some silent words. Finally, Kusakabe nodded. "We would appreciate your help," he said. "Umeki-san is one of the offices. Please, follow me."

* * *

Before Tsuna entered the room, which was a few doors away, he turned around to address the Arcobaleno. "Stay out here," he said. "I can handle this."

Lal Mirch raised a brow. "Excuse me?"

Tsuna sighed. "I don't need you with me. You're just going to scare her."

"I do not like you being alone with her, Tsunayoshi," Fon said.

Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm just going to  _talk_ to her."

"We should still go with you," Lal Mirch said.

Tsuna deadpanned. "Did you not hear a word I just said?" They were children; actually, they were probably worse. At Lal Mirch and Fon's imploring looks, Tsuna just rolled his eyes. "Fine, but I'm only taking Verde-san."

He grabbed the man's arm before the other two could protest and dragged him inside the small office space. Locking the door, Tsuna let out a small breath of relief. "I'm sorry, Verde-san."

Verde glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "There's nothing to be sorry about."

Erisa, clad in some fresh sweats, sat up from the leather couch. Her bag was laid on the carpeted floor by her feet. "S—Sawada-san?"

Tsuna smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry for appearing like this, Umeki-san. I just came in to check on you."

Erisa flushed as she tucked some hair behind her ear. "No, that's fine. I'm doing well, thank you. I…haven't slept so well in a long time." She looked down at her lap. "Everyone's been very kind to me here."

Tsuna dragged a chair from the table to sit across from Erisa. He smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. You look better."

Erisa flushed. "Thank you."

"Tsunayoshi," Verde said, standing directly behind him.

Tsuna frowned. He looked at Erisa in the eye, unwavering. "Umeki-san, I know about Ayame."

Erisa flinched. "W—What…"

"It wasn't your fault," Tsuna said quietly. "It wasn't  _anyone's_  fault but the driver's. He shouldn't have crossed the red light.  _He_  killed Ayame, not you."

Erisa widened her eyes. She gulped before looking down again; her hands slowly curled into fists. "Then—Then why did this happen to us? Why did that  _monster_  kill them? Is Ayame angry? There's no other way but—"

"That creature, the Griever, isn't Ayame."

Erisa's breath hitched. "Then…who?"

"Ayame's sister, Aika. You know her, right?"

Erisa's knuckles turned white. "Yes…"

"Have you kept in contact with her after elementary school?"

Erisa shook her head. "After…Ayame died, Aika didn't come back to school. Her family moved to Midori to live with their grandmother. I never talked to her since."

"Okay. Was Aika at the party?"

"No. Well, Megumi invited her but Aika never really liked us. She was really close with Ayame; you could never see one without the other. It's just, after Megumi befriended Ayame, things seemed a little tense. I was too young to understand but sometimes when Megumi invited Ayame to playdates, Aika would follow her. Megumi was too nice to tell her to go away but Chisa wasn't." Erisa hunched her shoulders a bit. "You can probably guess how that went…"

Tsuna frowned sympathetically. For a moment, he thought about reaching out to hold Erisa's hand for comfort but stopped himself; it was a habit mostly. Verde was here, and even though the man hadn't really shown much signs of being jealous, for a lack of better words, Tsuna still thought that he should still be wary.

"But why?" Erisa said. "Why did Aika turn out like this? How could she do this to me, to Megumi, to Chisa?"

"Aika died two months ago," Tsuna said. Erisa covered her mouth. "She overdosed on some sleeping pills, mostly out of guilt for her sister's death that she'd been carrying for 20 years. I've seen her picture. She looked a lot like Ayame." He pursed his lips. "But Ayame's death  _wasn't_  your fault. It was no one's fault but the driver's, so don't blame yourself."

"Is that why Aika hurt us?" Erisa whispered. "Because she blames us?"

Tsuna looked down at his hands. "Yes."

A bout of silence hung in the room. Erisa released a shuddering breath. "Then…what will happen now?"

Before Tsuna could respond, Verde spoke up. "We've created a plan to lure out the Griever and kill it. Because it's target was you and you're still alive, it'd be easier if you become our bait."

Tsuna looked away when Erisa inhaled sharply. "He's…right. The Gr— _Aika_  won't appear unless you're vulnerable. I'm sorry but there's no other way. I understand if you don't w—"

"Do you prefer to live your life in fear or live without death constantly at your back?" Verde said. "It's a very simple choice to make."

Tsuna sighed irritably. "It's  _not_  that simple. Her li—"

"I—I will do it." Erisa looked up, chewing on her lip. "I will do it, Sawada-san."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "Are you sure? I don't want to force you."

Erisa nodded. "Yes, I will. I want to." She gazed down at her trembling hands. "For Megumi and Chisa."

"We'll be there with you," Tsuna said. "We'll protect you."

Erisa smiled shakily. "Thank you, Sawada-san."

"No, thank  _you_ , Umeki-san." Tsuna stood up then with Verde following suit. "Kusakabe-san will let you know the details. And here." He grabbed a name card and a pen from the table and scribbled down his number before handing it to Erisa. "Take this, in case."

Eris accepted it with shaking hands. "Thank you. Truly, thank you."

Just as Tsuna reached for the doorknob, he paused and peered over his shoulder. "By the way, Umeki-san, does the name Kasumi mean anything to you?"

Erisa blinked. "Kasumi? Ah, you mean Ogawa Kasumi? Yes, she's also our friend. She lives in Kokuyo as a writer for the Kokuyo Daily." She widened her eyes. "Is she in danger, too?"

Tsuna shook his head. "No, she won't be. I'll make sure of it. Thank you, Umeki-san."

* * *

No one spoke in the car. Tsuna had somehow found himself sitting on Fon's lap a little awkwardly. He tried ignoring Hibari's heated glares as much as he could by distracting himself with counting up by 7's. It wasn't going well. He had to start over five times before he even got to 84.

"Sawada-san."

Tsuna jumped as Fon's arm tightened around his waist to keep him from falling over. "Yes?"

Kusakabe turned right on the empty road. "Everyone is stationed in their positions and we secured the perimeters. Umeki-san is right behind us. There's been nothing out of place so far."

"Okay." Tsuna sucked in a deep breath when Fon propped his chin on his shoulder, almost cuddling him. "Thank you."

When they arrived at Midori Park, Kusakabe parked in one of the more discreet places Verde had pointed out. With their cars hidden by tall, thick trees and shrubs, the detectives that would tail Erisa to the place where Ayame had died, which was just a few miles north from here, immediately set on their path, a couple of steps behind her. Tsuna was surrounded by the Arcobaleno with Lal Mirch in the front, Fon to his left, and Verde to his right. Kusakabe and Hibari weren't too far behind, too.

Dirt and pebbles crunched underneath their feet. Tsuna shivered when a cold wind swept through the air. When they finally arrived at the accident site, they hid behind some trees a few feet away, keeping an eye on Erisa. The detectives assigned to her crouched behind some bushes, their bodies tense but ready.

If the Griever did appear, the detectives would try to keep Erisa out of danger and escape, but not engage in battle. Tsuna would stay back with Verde while Lal Mirch and Fon would take the Griever head-on. However, Tsuna wasn't sure how they'd do it since they weren't in any capacity to destroy Remnants. Still he hoped that they had some kind of plan in that area.

The clearing was silent aside from the chirping cicadas and rustling leaves. No one breathed. Tsuna unconsciously held onto Lal Mirch's suit jacket, his knuckles white, while he braced himself against a tree. Erisa walked past the empty picnic tables, her steps shaky. Her distant footsteps made Tsuna feel a bit nauseous. His heart hammered hard against his chest. Vaguely, he wondered if anyone could hear it.

Erisa suddenly paused. She clasped her hands over her chest. It was still quiet until Erisa suddenly spoke up. "A—Aika? Are you here?"

Tsuna tensed. What was she doing? Lal Mirch suddenly pulled him closer to her side, her arm around his waist. Fon silently crept closer, crouching low. Hibari brandished his tonfas, only stopping when Kusakabe pulled him back.

"I'm—I'm so sorry," Erisa said, looking around the empty clearing with wide eyes. "Really, please believe me. We—None of us didn't mean for Ayame to—"

A loud shriek suddenly filled the air, making nearly everyone cover their ears. The sound of clinking metal came from Lal Mirch's arm before she aimed her gauntlet at Erisa. A wire soon shot out just as the Griever lunged from the shadows. Lal Mirch yanked Erisa away in time, leaping forward to grab the woman and toss her to a nearby detective.

"Take her and run!" she said, unwinding the wire.

Fon suddenly held onto Tsuna's shoulder and gently pushed him towards Verde. He smiled slightly. "Please be careful, Tsunayoshi."

He sprinted forward to meet the Griever in mid-air and kicked it towards the trees; several loud cracks sounded through the air. Lal Mirch clicked her tongue. She hauled the stunned detective up and shoved him towards the way they came. "Are you deaf? Move!"

The two detectives snapped out of their stupor and led a shell-shocked Erisa away, disappearing in the darkness. Kusakabe gaped when Lal Mirch joined the fray, leaping in the air and tackling the Griever to the ground before it could reach Fon again. They tumbled on the floor, grappling and hissing at each other. The Griever snarled and twisted its thin body to quickly escape Lal Mirch's hold. It crawled away on all fours before jumping high. Shrieking, it elongated its claws. Lal Mirch rolled out of the way just as they stretched out like long needles and tried to stab her. Fon dashed forward, running along the thin claws, spun in the air, and slammed his knee across the Griever's face.

"Verde!" Lal Mirch said, pouncing on the creature. She held its squirming body to the ground with a grunt. "Now!"

Tsuna tensed when Verde grabbed his arm. The man extended his hand towards the struggling Griever before a green crackling light lit up on his fingertips. Some screams suddenly came from the distance behind, then gunfire. Tsuna and Kusakabe both whirled around, trying to find the source, when a sizzling sound came from the clearing. A green barrier with crackling white sparks surrounded the Griever. The creature snarled as it slammed against the barrier, only to be shocked.

Lal Mirch and Fon stood around it, keeping a safe distance. Kusakabe looked behind his shoulder. "Kyo-san, something's not right."

He fished his phone from his pocket and dialed a number. A few seconds passed but no one picked up. Tsuna looked towards the path behind them. "Verde-san, something's wrong."

Verde regarded him blankly. "We captured the Griever."

Tsuna shook his head. "No, didn't you hear that? Something happened." He tugged on his arm but Verde didn't let go. "I need to go. Umeki-san—"

"That's the their job." Verde started heading towards the hissing Griever, dragging Tsuna with him. "If anything has happened to her, that's not our fault. It's theirs."

Kusakabe dialed his phone again but there was still no response. "Kyo-san."

Hibari clicked his tongue before leaving, Kusakabe following suit. They disappeared in the shadows, their footsteps fading away moments later. Tsuna tried to pull away from Verde's grasp again but his strength was enhanced from their physical contact. "Verde-san, I promised Umeki-san that I would protect her."

"You said we," Verde said in his insufferably calm tone. "That encompasses us and the police, but doesn't single you out as her sole protector. Furthermore, that Hibari is a more suitable candidate for that. You're incapable of fighting, which will do the opposite of protecting that woman."

Tsuna decided that he hated Verde, his cold logic, and his tone. Gritting his teeth, he glared at the man. He  _promised_  Erisa that she'd be safe. He needed to make sure she was or else…

" _How could you let this happen, Tsuna? How?"_

Tsuna inhaled sharply. He couldn't let that happen again—no,  _wouldn't_. Grabbing his other wrist, he wrenched his arm as hard as he could out of Verde's grip. It hurt and his muscles and bones strongly protested, but he managed to break free. Wincing, Tsuna quickly ran the other way, ignoring Lal Mirch's angry cry behind him. He wasn't strong like Hibari or competent like Kusakabe; hell, he wasn't anything like the Arcobaleno but he  _tried_ , tried to be better than the person he was before, tried to do some good in his pathetic life, tried to help people even if he couldn't help himself. He  _promised_ Erisa.

He had promised  _him_ , too.

Leaves crunched underneath Tsuna's feet as he ran through the thick groves of trees. Where had that sound come from? Panting, he looked around frantically to find the source of the screams and gunfire from before. His mind swam with dizzying thoughts and his ears rang. A sudden movement from above made him almost stumble, if he hadn't regained his footing. Gulping, he started walking again before breaking out into a jog. The sound of voices soon drew closer as he kept going forward. Tsuna quickened his pace until he tripped over something hard. Groaning, he looked over his shoulder to see what it was. He froze.

It was an arm.

Slowly, Tsuna forced himself to stand and stumble over to the limb. His breath caught in his throat. Some blood was spattered on its skin. It looked like…

He shook his head. No, that couldn't have happened. It just didn't make sense.

"Sawada-san?"

Tsuna jumped before realizing that it was Kusakabe. The man looked solemn. Tsuna gestured weakly at the lifeless arm. "Kusakabe-san, that's not…"

Kusakabe was quiet for a moment. "We don't know what happened, Sawada-san," he said. "Our detectives are dead along with Umeki-san. I think…there's something else out there."

"No," Tsuna said. "No, that's not—that's not possible. How…?"

He almost walked past the man if Kusakabe hadn't blocked him. "I don't think you should see it, Sawada-san."

Tsuna just pushed his arm out of the way and treaded forward. The smell of blood overwhelmed his nose but he didn't stop. The two detectives that was designated to protect Erisa lay dead by the trees, their bodies still intact but lifeless. Blood trickled from their ears. Tsuna fell onto his knees when he saw Erisa's head a couple of feet away. Her wide eyes were glazed over, staring at him like some cruel punishment.

Something hard suddenly struck Tsuna's face. He gasped when Hibari placed his foot on his cheek, keeping him pinned to the ground. "Herbivore," the man said, his eyes narrowed, "what is this?"

Kusakabe widened his eyes. "Kyo-san!"

Tsuna swallowed a small lump in his throat; his hands gripped the dirt tightly underneath him. "I—I don't know," he choked out. "We—"

He winced when Hibari dug the heel of his shoe harder against his face, digging it in his cheekbone. Any moment now and it would snap. "That's not the answer I'm looking for, herbivore. You let them die from your ignorance. How will you pay the price?"

"Kyo-san," Kusakabe said, "please  _stop_. It's not his fault."

Tsuna closed his eyes. It  _was_  his fault. He shouldn't have gone with this plan; he should've just let Erisa stay at the station. How could he fuck this up again? Why was he so  _weak_? Finally, Hibari removed his foot from his face just as some steps approached from behind.

"Tsuna!"

Lal Mirch ran over to help him up but he swatted her away. Feeling impossibly heavy, Tsuna staggered to his feet. He didn't blink when Lal Mirch reached out to assess his face. "What the hell happened?" she said.

"Umeki-san is dead," Tsuna said. "They're dead…because of me."

Kusakabe handed him a handkerchief, which Fon took instead. "It's not your fault, Sawada-san. Don't blame yourself for something are out of your control. This is on all of our shoulders."

Fon paused when he looked at Tsuna's face. He glanced at Hibari, who still had his tonfas out but was scavenging the area. "Did he do this to you, Tsunayoshi?"

Tsuna looked down at his feet. He didn't have the heart to say that he deserved it. Some semblance of reason held him back from putting Hibari in possible danger. He couldn't risk another person dying because of him anyways. "Kusakabe-san," he said, "I don't think I can do this anymore…"

"You're in a state of shock, Sawada-san," Kusakabe said gently. "This isn't your fault."

Something cold clinked around Tsuna's wrist. Verde secured the other handcuff to his own hand. Kusakabe patted his waist to find that they were his.

"If you hadn't left," Verde said, "then my barrier would've remained stable and the Griever wouldn't have escaped."

Tsuna didn't say anything. His tongue felt too thick. Soon, Hibari re-emerged from the trees. "Her chest is missing," he said.

Tsuna stiffened. Unconsciously, he looked back at Erisa's head, staring into her lifeless eyes frozen in horror. He could imagine what she was saying to him:  _It's all your fault. You couldn't protect me. I'm dead because of you._

"Sawada-san," Kusakabe said, snapping him out of his harrowing thoughts, "why don't you go home for the night? I'll have someone drive you. We can discuss more tomorrow when you're better able to."

"I…" Tsuna hung his head low. "Okay."

Fon led the way out. Lal Mirch wrapped an arm around Tsuna's shoulders, as if he'd escape again. No one spoke when they entered a car waiting outside the park. Tsuna didn't try to remove the handcuffs from his wrist either while he sat on Verde's lap. He felt numb all over. Everything and nothing filled his head, which throbbed dully.

"There must've been another Remnant," Verde said. "An unexpected variable. The—"

"Verde," Tsuna said, "just stop…"

Silence fell in the car again. When the cop pulled up in front of Tsuna's apartment, Tsuna opened the door and climbed out first, stopping short when the handcuffs pulled against his wrist. He waited for Verde to exit when he felt a presence behind him.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna turned around to face a tall, cloaked figure. He unconsciously stepped back, bumping into Verde's chest. The voice sounded a little strange, neither male nor female. Mind blank, Tsuna couldn't remember or process who this was. "Who…?"

The figure reached out a hand, which was slender but strong. "50,396.07¥ for the plane ticket and 9,057.80¥ for the taxi fare. In total, you owe me 59,453.87¥."

Tsuna could only stare at the strange person. "Huh…?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, things are getting…difficult, haha. For reference, 59,453.87¥ is around $535.60 or €462.86.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	7. Chapter 7

" _Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable."_ – Voltaire

* * *

Having another Arcobaleno appear was overwhelming. All of them were gathered in Tsuna's kitchen, and Verde still hadn't removed the handcuffs. Tsuna sat listlessly in his chair and stared at the table, tracing the worn veins of the cheap wood with his eyes. He wished he could drown and sink to the bottom where no one could find him. The kitchen was quiet aside from Viper scavenging through his apartment for God knew what, assessing his couch and meager furnishings with small clicks of their tongue and mutterings.

Lips pursed, Lal Mirch removed her suit jacket, draped it over her chair, and crossed her arms over her chest, all business. "Tsuna," she said, making him flinch, "don't fucking do that again."

Viper glided around the kitchen like a ghost, their steps silent on the tile floors, wordlessly opening pantries and cupboards. Tsuna could only cradle his face in his hands and palm his eyes, trying to get rid of the horrifying image in his head. His cheek hurt and it was probably bruised; no one ever escaped Hibari's wrath unscathed. His hands shook as he let out a shuddering breath. Erisa's bodiless head flashed in his mind. Her eyes—he could never forget her eyes. They were another mistake, another fuck-up, just like with  _him_.

Lal Mirch kicked his leg under the table. "Oi, are you listening? The Griever escaped because you ran off like that."

"I know," Tsuna said. Fuzzy purple fireworks danced underneath his eyes, making him feel even more nauseous.

Lal Mirch yanked his hands away from his face. "Look at me when I'm talking to you. You fucked up back there and  _you_  were the one who wanted to capture it. What were you thinking? If you hadn't left, Verde could've kept his barrier up and we wouldn't be here."

Tsuna didn't look up. Lal Mirch's words buzzed in his ears, faint; all he could hear were the distant screams and gunfire in a haunting loop. He should've stayed with Erisa, he shouldn't have left her to people who couldn't even fight those creatures. And now, he was left with the Griever still on the loose and three deaths on his hands.

He jumped when something cold pressed against his throbbing cheek. Fon smiled down at him, holding the ice pack in place. "Keep this on, Tsunayoshi," he said. "Your face should not be marred by bruises."

Tsuna just took the ice pack from Fon's cool hand and kept it against his cheek. It quickly grew numb. Lal Mirch flicked his forehead, making him wince. She rolled her eyes. "Good, you're still alive. Did you hear what I just said?"

"I killed them," he said dully.

"No, Tsunayoshi," Fon said, "you did not. It was another Remnant, not you."

Tsuna's grip tightened around the ice pack; his hand burned from the cold. "I let them die. I couldn't protect Umeki-san…"

Lal Mirch narrowed her eyes. "No one asked you to protect them so stop sulking and think about what you're going to do next. Oi, Tsuna." She gripped his chin to make him look up at her eyes, which nearly glowed under the lights. "I don't like sulking; it's pathetic. You're not doing any favors when you're blaming yourself; the time you're taking to do that can be used for something else more useful. Do you understand?"

Tsuna's tongue felt thick when he spoke. "I…But it's my f—"

He winced when Lal Mirch's grip tightened around his chin. That could leave a bruise too. "Are you stupid or something? Where the hell did your spunk go? You don't even know them and you're doing this because? You want to help people?" She scoffed. "Look at yourself. How can you expect to help  _anyone_  if you're moping? Things happen. Don't expect everything to go your way. Verde didn't even predict that there was another Remnant around. We did what we were supposed to do. But guess what? Because of your stupid, self-sacrificing attitude, we lost the Griever. Who knows if it's going to kill more people? That's what you should be more concerned about."

Each word that spilled from Lal Mirch's lips felt like needles pricking Tsuna's heart. He couldn't tell if she was trying to comfort him or belittle him, or if she was aware of what she was saying. A familiar, unwelcoming corpse flashed in his head, with hair so vividly red it blended in grotesquely with the blood pooled around it. Tsuna closed his eyes to get rid of the image, to think of things other than failed promises and their tantalizing whispers.

Rationally, he knew that Lal Mirch was right. There was no way he could've predicted that there was another Remnant at the site or believed that he could protect Erisa by himself. He had fucked up in more ways than one before and it was that kind of self-deprecation that had forced him back in his shell years ago. It wasn't until Hibari had found him and dragged him to a crime scene that Tsuna was able to step forward, even if it was small. Still, he couldn't deny the small relief he felt when a victim passed over or made amends with loved ones. It made breathing a little easier.

It was all a given but Tsuna still had that small, creeping doubt in the concaves of his ribs that festered like an old wound. What about the ones he couldn't save? The ones he couldn't protect? The ones that could've lived if he had gone one way and not the other? Like Erisa, like  _him_ …

"Human beings aren't perfect," Verde said, underlining some things in his notebook. "From what I've observed, humans that strive for perfection are the ones who fall early. Nothing satisfies them and nothing ever will." He glanced at Tsuna from the corner of his eye. "You're altruistic but there's a fine line between selflessness and stupidity, and you're falling more on the latter spectrum; however, with every failure, there's a lesson to be learned."

Fon loosened Tsuna's grasp and held onto the ice pack instead. "We overestimated ourselves. It is impossible to destroy Remnants if our own powers are unstable or short-lived without you with us, not unless we are Harmonized. It is humiliating to admit, but it is true. However, the police should have been able to protect that woman properly, or perhaps that child could have gone with them." Fon smiled slightly in amusement, his eyes darkening. "Though I do doubt that he would last very long. Perhaps, one minute?"

Tsuna licked his chapped lips. "The police…aren't capable of fighting Remnants so it's not their fault. None of us knew that there was another Remnant either. No one's blameless here."

Lal Mirch clicked her tongue but didn't say anything. Tsuna tensed when Viper sat across from him, their chair scraping against the ground. He forgot that they were here. With their cloak and hood, Viper looked more like a phantom from a dream. "This place isn't suitable for us."

Lal Mirch rolled her eyes. "Viper, we're busy."

"I've calculated the value of your apartment and furnishings and it doesn't come close to what you owe me."

Fon frowned. "Money should not be the priority at the moment. We are discussing something else of more importance."

Tsuna eyed Viper warily. "I don't have that kind of money. Besides, why do I have to pay you?"

"I came here because of you," was Viper's monotone response. "I expect to be compensated for the troubles I went through to come here."

"That…doesn't make sense."

"It does."

Tsuna sighed and let his head fall forward to thump against the table, but Fon quickly cushioned his forehead, his skin warm. A small jolt coursed through his body, making Tsuna jump. He eyed Fon's hand cautiously before sneaking a small peek at the still smiling man. Didn't he feel that…?

Viper hummed under their breath. "You haven't Harmonized with any of them yet."

"The next person to say the same damn thing again is going to meet my fist," Lal Mirch said, a vein popping over her brow. "Yeah, we didn't. Tsuna here likes to take it  _nice_  and  _easy_." She looked over Tsuna lazily. "I'm just saying this isn't the best decision on your part." She smirked, making shivers crawl up Tsuna's spine. "Viper's already here, making it four of us. Who knows what'll happen when everyone's here,  _un_ -Harmonized?"

"Think of your house as a powder keg," Verde said, pausing in his ceaseless scribbling. His interjection didn't make things any better to digest or handle. "The longer you hold off on Harmonizing, the more agitated everyone will become."

Fan-fucking- _tastic_. Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't want to get into that right now," he said.

"You should," Viper said. "This house isn't suitable for nine people. We're all technically adults so our needs will have to be met accordingly. Your fridge isn't stocked to last a day and you don't have any space on your bed to accommodate more than three people."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "Wait, my bed can't accommodate more than three people? Gee, who would've thought? Maybe because, I don't know, this is a  _single-room_  apartment for  _one_  person. And why is my bed any concern to you?" He scowled at Viper, wishing that the damn hood wasn't in the way. "Also  _you_  decided to spend your own money so  _you_  take that responsibility, not me. The money you're asking me is basically the cost of my  _rent_. If you want to talk about money, then pay some of it or go to a hotel. I never agreed to opening my house to any of you in the first place."

Viper didn't seem perturbed by the backlash. "But you haven't kicked them out yet either."

Tsuna sucked in a small breath. His head ached and he didn't want to do anything else but take a hot shower and go to sleep _—alone_. Nowadays it seemed like his brain was being overridden by some other unknown presence. He could still feel the faint, foreign thrumming in his chest, his heart, when Lal Mirch had glowed blue a few days ago; the thrill and unexpected pleasure that had coursed through him, as if they were  _expecting_  for that to happen, terrified him. On top of that, Tsuna wasn't really in the position to be parsing through these things with a fine comb at the moment. He just had a bunch of bricks dumped on him in the last few days and it wasn't the best experience. Picking them up one at a time wasn't an endeavor he was looking forward to either.

"No," Tsuna said, "I can't. I would, but I can't."

A few minutes of tense silence passed. Viper was the first one to speak then. "Then if we're staying here, we should go over our accommodations."

Tsuna's brow twitched. "How many times do I have to say that  _none_  of you are welcome here? I didn't ask for this."

"And we didn't ask for our Sky to leave us."

Tsuna bristled. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry that your Sky left, I'm sorry that you're like this, but instead of thinking about yourselves all the time for once, why can't you consider  _my_  position here? I didn't even know  _about_  you until what? Two,  _three_  days ago? I'm fucking sorry that I can't wrap my own fucking head around  _any_  of this. There's only so much I can take and with what just happened I—I—"

He couldn't breathe. Why? Why couldn't he breathe? His breaths came out quick and ragged, his chest aching and lungs constricting with each second, stifling. His surroundings blurred a bit. He saw Viper's lips moving but their voice sounded faint, like a low drone. A chair scraped against the floor in the background. Tsuna stiffened when a hand gripped his shoulder before Lal Mirch's cool Flames doused him in a sudden rush.

Slowly but surely, his breaths evened out. His lungs expanded again and the pressure in his chest disappeared. Tsuna blinked a couple of times to regain his bearings; his mouth felt dry. He unconsciously shivered when he finally felt the heat of Lal Mirch's palm through his shirt. She huffed. "You're overreacting, Tsuna."

Tsuna wanted to glare at her but couldn't. Not with her hand still on his shoulder like a leech and her Flames keeping him at bay. Instead, he spoke with a mild voice, much to his dismay. "I'm not overreacting," he said, gripping her wrist. "I'm overwhelmed. This is a perfectly normal response from anyone in this kind of situation. I didn't ask for some crazy gods to drop by and crash in my house. I didn't ask to see the dead and I didn't ask for any of this to happen the way it did." Well for one thing, Tsuna could think clearer now. His state of calm was good in that aspect he supposed. "I get it, but that doesn't change the fact that Umeki-san and two other people are dead because of me."

"They didn't die because of you," Verde said, speaking up after a moment. "If anything, it was better to have them die than you with them, too." He raised his hand when Tsuna opened his mouth with some choice words. "Think of it this way, Tsunayoshi. As you said, the police aren't capable of handling Remnants, not with their manpower or inferior weapons. That was our first miscalculation. That woman—"

"Umeki-san," Tsuna said.

"—would've died in either situation whether if she was with us or them." Verde slightly pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Like the police, we're not at a suitable power level to fend off the Remnants either. If she had stayed with us, we all would've died trying to protect her, as you will, and all of our efforts would've been for nothing. That's where our second miscalculation comes in. There's only one of you, and since none of us are Harmonized, there's only so much we can do. You're our only power source and we need you with us physically. What you did back there was foolish. We're at least capable to keep you out of harm's way but because you left us, knowing that we needed you to gain any sort of control, the plan failed."

Tsuna wanted Verde to shut up but couldn't bring himself to say it. The man…was right. Their plan was never enough in the first place. Why did Tsuna think it was going to work out?  _None_ of them were in any position to fight the Remnants—but there were people dying. The police was basically useless and there was nothing the Arcobaleno could do unless they lugged Tsuna around with them like a sack of meat.

"The last miscalculation was the other Remnant," Verde rambled on. "We didn't expect for another one to be in the same vicinity or to interfere as boldly as it did. It could be a Scavenger but I believe it's a Ravager." At Tsuna's puzzled look, he continued, "I've explained only two categories of Remnants to you and the police."

Tsuna paled. "There's more?"

"Yes. The other two are Scavengers and Ravagers. If you were to put all four on a hierarchy, Ravagers are at the top. They're much rarer, more complex than the others, but are still rooted in their griefs and regrets. They are the basic form of psychopaths in your human terms, highly intelligent, lacking in empathy. Very few exist and even fewer are created though they exist. Scavengers are a particular case. They're more subdued than the rest of the Remnant but they possess some form of cleverness. As their name suggests, they simply clean up the scraps of others' kills and aren't prone to confrontations."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "The other Remnant can't be a Scavenger?"

"They're smart enough to not to get in the way," Lal Mirch said. "And they don't do the dirty work themselves. Leeches, that's what they are. Cowards. Created by human pettiness and greed."

"They are rather distasteful," Fon said, a constant hovering presence by Tsuna's side. The brunet wasn't sure if it was all that comforting or not. The man stood a little  _too_  close. "I recommend that you steer clear if you happen to meet them. They can be cunning when they want to be." He smiled slightly. "It would be unfortunate if you end up losing something valuable in a trivial deal."

Head pounding, Tsuna sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose; he secretly hoped that he could contract hypothermia from an ice pack. Rationally, he knew that somehow he was the one who could have any chances of fixing his mess. Emotionally, he was drained, and physically, he wanted to drop dead. His thoughts wandered until he finally reached his decision. They weren't going anywhere like this.

"I'm going to shower and sleep," he said, keeping his voice from rising. "And  _none_  of you are allowed to enter while I'm in there. I  _will_  throw you out physically if I have to."

"Aren't you going to eat?" Lal Mirch said, her brows rising underneath her bangs.

"Not hungry. If you want to eat, sorry. I'm poor." Tsuna glared at Viper who didn't respond or even flinch. "Get yourself something from outside, I don't care. I need to just… _stay away_  from you, all of you. Good night."

He stopped short from his handcuffs, almost stumbling if Fon hadn't caught him. Shrugging the man off, Tsuna scowled, trying to muster as much dignity as he could. "Take them off," he said.

Fon gripped the link before the metal simply disintegrated. Rubbing his wrist, Tsuna turned away and inhaled deeply. "Good  _night_."

He took the longest shower possible, letting the hot water forcibly wash away his cluttered thoughts, and stared at the drain, hoping that it would take the horrors of that night with it. He still saw Erisa's head when he closed his eyes. She didn't offer him any respite.

* * *

That night he dreamt, returning to the meadows. However, everything was gray and the sky was a vast black blanket above him. Wilted flowers crushed softly underneath his feet and the wind carried the scent of ashes and blood. Tsuna should be horrified, he  _was_ horrified, but his emotions felt distant and all he felt was…nothing.

The woman stood at the same place, this time watching him. She was waiting for him, but when Tsuna drew closer, he realized that she was too weary to move by herself. Her face was gaunt, her skin pale, and her white dress was reduced to a torn smock. Instead of asking if she was okay, Tsuna said, "You're Luce."

Something flickered in the woman's eyes, and for a moment, Tsuna thought she would lash out again like last time. Instead, her lips curled into a bitter smile. And for what it was worth, Tsuna felt the same with the situation he was in.

"Take them back," he said. "I don't want them."

Luce tilted her head. "What's done is done. They've chosen you." She took a step forward with all the dignity she could muster and reached out to touch Tsuna's cheek, making him tense but remain rooted to the spot. Her skin was cool. "It will only be a matter of time to see who will be tamed." She smiled more cruelly this time. "Will you be consumed or crumble, I wonder."

"Tell me where you are," Tsuna said, keeping his voice levelled. It didn't take any effort. "I can tell them."

A flicker of hope lit up in Luce's eyes before it waned. "No," she said almost painfully. "I can only let fate run its course."

"You're pathetic."

Even Luce was momentarily stunned by the words that left Tsuna's mouth. He couldn't form an apology,  _wouldn't_ , and the strange detachment he had in this dreamscape was both unsettling and comfortable. Finally, Luce smiled and it nearly took Tsuna's breath away. He didn't even realize that she had sunk her nails into his skin.

"And you're  _perfect_."

She dragged her fingers across his cheek, letting flesh and blood taint her nails. The pain barely made Tsuna twitch. Instead, he smiled.

* * *

Gasping, Tsuna bolted upright in his bed and reached out for something to his side when he noticed that it was empty. A swell of panic spiked in his chest before he forced it down. Did he actually  _miss_  having someone in his bed? Miss Fon and Lal Mirch on either side of him like protective guards? Or was Tsuna actually going insane?

He touched his cheek, wincing from the lingering sensation of Luce's nails dragging along his skin. There was nothing there but that didn't mean the pain wasn't. He was more disturbed with how he acted. That…wasn't like him. Well, in some ways he understood how frustrated he was. He didn't ask for this and since Luce constantly appeared in his dreams, he could only assume that this was the only way she could contact him, meaning that she was  _alive_  out there. He could tell them, even if he didn't know where she was, but something prevented him from doing so.

To his horror, the thought of telling the Arcobaleno that Luce was alive  _sickened_  him. What was wrong with him?

Dragging himself out of bed, Tsuna staggered to the bathroom and splashed cold water in his face. It didn't do anything to assuage the murky fog in his chest. When he looked up in the mirror, he saw his own face staring back, a little pale and hair mussed. It was still him, he reasoned with himself. Still…Still…

His hands gripped the edges of the sink until his knuckles turned white. This wasn't going to work. This sure as hell wasn't. He washed up briskly, taking note that no one was in the apartment. After getting dressed in some jeans and a sweater, Tsuna sat on the couch and turned on the TV against his better judgement.

"—still at large and there has not been word from the police yet about any developments," the anchor said.

The screen cut to a conference outside the police station with Kusakabe at the podium, surrounded by outstretched mics and other news cameras. Despite looking a little haggard, he posed an admirable front, commanding attention and order with seamless grace. When Tsuna checked the time, he realized that it was live.

"We are still currently investigating the murders that have occurred in the past months," Kusakabe said. "If there are any new developments, we will notify the public as soon as it's available. That is all I can say at this time. If you have any other additional questions, please send them to the PR department. Thank you."

With a slight bow, he left, ignoring the shouting reporters and flashing cameras behind him. Hibari was nowhere in sight.

"The Butcher has been on a spree in the past three months." The screen cut back to the pretty anchor, snapping Tsuna out of his daze. "With 12 murders in Midori and Kokuyo, they have remained elusive from the police and continues to be a threat to Namimori. Additionally, there has been another series of deaths in Kokuyo that have raised cause for alarm. Just two days ago at the Rokudo Trading Corporation, Ashida M—"

Tsuna turned off the TV before the news station could bring up the woman's picture. A stifling silence gripped his apartment. Rain drizzled outside, gently pattering against his windowpane. For a long moment, Tsuna sat on the couch, unmoving. His limbs felt like lead and his heart didn't sound like it was beating. Every nerve and muscle in his body went numb. Briefly, he considered sending a text to Kusakabe but didn't know what he'd say. In the end, all he could do was stare at nothing.

The seconds ticked by, then minutes. Tsuna's finger twitched on the remote and everything seemed to move again. He released a shaky breath and forced himself to walk to the fridge. When he opened it, he grabbed the last bottle of water and chugged it down, letting the cold liquid burn his throat. Crushing the plastic, he tossed it in the recycling bin. An itch occurred in his chest, burning and almost making him choke.

He briskly turned around and headed for the couch. He let the TV run again but switched the channel to anything else other than the news. A familiar theme song played in the air. Tsuna raised the volume until the ringing in his ears was only a light buzz, tolerable enough for him to close his eyes.

All he saw was Erisa's cold, unseeing gaze look back at him, raw and visceral. Tsuna's hands tightened into fists. Why couldn't she at least appear to him as a spirit? Had she already moved on with the two detectives? He needed to tell them that he was sorry, that he didn't mean for any of this to happen. Hell, he wouldn't even care if all Erisa did was glare at him because at least he'd stop seeing her scattered limbs and bodiless head.

A small part of him doubted it.

He felt drained, impossibly lethargic and wished that he had died in his sleep. Though a part of him, the terrifying part that he had tried to suppress in the past years, hissed at the thought. Tsuna wanted it to just disappear, however he knew that it was only a matter of time until he was going to end up tired of running away—but not now.

A sudden but familiar presence appeared beside him just as the cartoon he couldn't remember the name of switched to commercials. "Hey, Lambo," he said quietly.

The boy sat close enough to Tsuna to only hover, not touch. "Hi, Tsuna-nii," he said.

They stayed like that for a while, watching a rice cooker commercial in silence. The cheerful jingle soon faded out when a medicine advertisement for heart pain came up next. For a while, Tsuna couldn't find the words to fill the silence, so he was utterly grateful when Lambo did.

"They're all scary," the child said. "There's more of them now."

"I'm sorry, Lambo," Tsuna said tiredly. "But I don't think they're going to leave anytime soon."

Lambo shook his head. "It's okay. They're just…" He trailed off, unsure of the right word to describe the gods, but Tsuna knew that he was just trying to make sense of the situation.

"Crazy is one." Tsuna smiled when Lambo giggled. "Annoying is another one, too. I don't know what would make them leave."

 _Or if I want them to leave,_  his mind whispered.

Shaking his head, he let the horrible thought fade before directing his eyes to the TV again. He almost asked Lambo if he knew where they went but his tongue, thankfully, didn't utter the words.

"Are you going to stay here all day?" Lambo asked quietly, almost hopeful.

Tsuna didn't respond right away. He didn't want to stay in his apartment any longer than he could. He didn't want to see if the gods that had unceremoniously barged into his life without warning returned here or not. All he could do was look for distractions, something to keep his mind from straying to doors that should remain locked forever.

"No," he finally said, "but I'll stay a little longer if you need me to."

Lambo nodded and Tsuna ignored the way the boy's lower lip trembled a bit. "Okay. Is five more minutes good?"

Tsuna chuckled, brushing a hand across Lambo's messy curls. The child leaned into his touch before Tsuna eventually pulled away. "I can stay longer than that."

Pleased, Lambo turned to the TV as his favorite cartoon show returned. Tsuna could stay longer enough until he had to face his demons.

For now, he was safe.

When it was close to evening, Lambo watched Tsuna grab his bag and leave the apartment, mumbling a sweet goodbye that Tsuna warmly returned. Dialing Rei's number from memory, Tsuna ignored the hollowness in his chest and how uncomfortably silent his house was even with Lambo there.

* * *

Light rain continued to drizzle outside and the sky wasn't an imposing black or gray, though it still made Tsuna feel a bit unsettled. He squashed the feeling while he rode the bus. Dribbles of rain slid down the windows, merging with other droplets and slipping down the glass. Colorful building lights created blurry spots at the edges. Tsuna looked away after seeing one too many spirits wandering on the sidewalks and stared down at his new phone instead. It felt off in his hand but he'd eventually get used to it.

 _Unless someone breaks it again,_ he thought irritably.

He killed that line of thought before it grew. Today was going to be okay, or at least, better than this past week. He just needed to keep himself busy. The bus stopped again, letting people on and off in a monotonous routine. Tsuna determinedly kept his eyes on his Converse. Dress shoes, sneakers, high heels, and boots walked back and forth. Someone's bag brushed against his head but he didn't look up to see who it was. At least it wasn't a ghost. The bus started again and Tsuna released a breath he didn't know he was holding. His phone didn't buzz from any messages other than Rei's curt confirmation that he still had his job. The rest of the ride continued in soft silence.

When he arrived at his workplace, Tsuna had never felt so relieved.  _Takahashi_  was a bar restaurant with a good amount of regulars and food that kept it going for years. Dashing across the street, Tsuna quickly reached the large building and entered, instantly relaxing from the smoky scent of meat and liquor. He headed for the bar where it was mostly full. The bartender and owner's daughter, Rei perked up when she saw Tsuna approach. She held up a finger, telling him to wait a minute, before pouring a drink for a customer.

"Tsuna!" Rei leaned over the end of the counter and pulled the flustered brunet into a tight hug, almost making both of them fall. Her familiar spicy scent was welcoming and soothed his frayed nerves a bit. "How are you? Feeling better? You still look a little pale. You sure you can work today? I can let Kaa-san know you're not up for it." The older woman narrowed her eyes. "Is that Hibari asshole working you to the ground again?"

Tsuna laughed awkwardly, pulling away from Rei. "No, I just got sick. I'm all better now."

Rei was like the older sister he never had, taking him in out of pity when he first applied for a job and immediately growing fond of him, and she wasn't the type to not butt in if Tsuna's health and life were on the line. With her dyed purple hair and petite frame, Rei could probably strangle a grown man twice her size if Tsuna got so much as a paper cut. Vaguely, he wondered how she'd react if he had a pack of crazy gods to handle, not that she or her mother knew about his abilities. The less people knew, the better.

Unconvinced but too short on time to push, Rei just raised a brow and sighed. "What to do with you, Tsuna, what to do."

Tsuna smiled slightly. "I ask myself the same question." He yelped when she flicked his forehead.

"Just go change before I kick you out."

Tsuna didn't need to be reminded a second time. Exchanging polite greeting with other waiters as he headed for the changing room, he nearly tripped in his haste navigating the brightly-lit hallways. After changing into a black shirt and pants, Tsuna tied a small black apron around his waist and quickly blended in with the staff. His body and lips moved on autopilot, greeting customers and maneuvering around tables like he hadn't taken an unexpectedly long break.

Time passed quickly while he worked; he was almost done with his shift when he passed the bar and someone tapped his shoulder. Turning with a polite greeting dancing on the tip of his tongue, Tsuna stopped himself short, his eyes going wide. "Y—What are  _you_  doing here?"

Dressed impeccably in Verde's suit, Lal Mirch smirked at him. "What, we can't get a drink?"

Christ,  _all_  of them were here—Fon, Verde, and even Viper, who had changed out of their long cloak into one of Verde's suit with the addition of a small hood wrapped around their shoulder and over their head. A fancy clasp rested underneath the collar, the engraving unfamiliar, but Tsuna doubted it would hold any sway here in Japan. Each of them had a drink in front of them; only Lal Mirch's was touched while Fon had tea instead of whiskey.

"I—Where were you?" Tsuna said, already regretting the question.

Fon tilted his head. "Have you missed us, Tsunayoshi?" His lips quirked into a small smile. "I had thought you wanted us gone."

Tsuna just bit his tongue before he would embarrass himself further. Unfortunately, Rei barged in on the moment, her eyes curious. "Hey, Tsuna," she said, wiping some glass. "You know them?" She laughed breathlessly. "Gotta say though, they don't look like the kind of people you'd get friendly with."

Lal Mirch looked back and forth between them, perfectly casual in taking a sip from her drink. "You know her, Tsuna?" She knew, Tsuna realized, but she was gauging the extent of their relationship, trying to see if Rei would be a threat. It was obviously ridiculous and Tsuna was seriously done with their games.

"She's my boss," Tsuna said dryly. "And they're just some of Hibari-san's acquaintances, Rei-san."

"Oh," she said, blushing when she glanced at Fon. Tsuna didn't want to know, though he supposed Fon looked a little  _nicer_  than Hibari. Oh god, where did that come from? "Well, nice to meet you all! Let me know if you need anything!"

Silently, Tsuna snuck away to the last table of his shift, apologizing for the wait and handing the check to a father of two. He left him to deliberate the payment with his wife, sensing eyes on his back. Ignoring them, he went out of his way to clean an empty table after a co-worker whisked the dirty plates away in a gray bin. He cleaned slowly, taking his time so he wouldn't have to face the inevitable again. After wiping the whole table twice, Tsuna finally straightened himself and walked down the small aisle when someone suddenly said, "Hey."

A bit miffed from the rude greeting, Tsuna suppressed a sigh. Instead, he tensed when he faced the familiar face of Kurokawa Hana, the journalist from Namimori Times. She didn't look any more different from the last time he met her, though there were hints of dark circles underneath her piercing eyes. When Tsuna glanced at her table, he noticed she was alone and that she had only ordered a salad with carrot ginger dressing that was barely touched.

"Good evening," he finally worked out. "Is there anything you need, ma'am?"

Hana waved him off. "There's no need for formalities." She glanced at her watch then back at Tsuna; the knowing look in her eyes made shivers crawl up his spine. "Do you have some time to talk?"

Tsuna pursed his lips, his polite visage slipping a bit. "You knew I work here and when my shift ends."

Hana shrugged, unashamed at being caught. It was both admirable and frustrating nonetheless. "I came for some answers, off the record."

Tsuna raised a brow. "Off the record? How do you know if I have the answers you want?"

"I've seen you a few times at crime scenes before. I'm surprised others haven't yet." Hana eyed him up and down, making him feel awfully exposed, before her gaze settled on his face again, critical. "You just don't look like an officer and Hibari isn't a man who likes asking for help."

Tsuna bit his tongue from licking his lips. The nervous tic would give him away and he wouldn't give the journalist that satisfaction. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the family of four leaving and returned their smiles when their eyes met, though his mouth felt stiff. "I have to grab a check," he said.

Hana nodded. "I can wait."

When Tsuna was several steps away from Hana's table, which was huddled in the far corner of the restaurant, he finally let himself breathe, reveling in what would probably the last bit of freedom before he returned to the hungry beast. He grabbed the check from the family's table and walked briskly to the bar, handing it to Rei so she could put it in the register, which she had full control of.

Before he could realize what he was doing, he stalked towards the four Arcobaleno at the edge of the bar closest to the entrance. Fon noticed him first and smiled before Lal Mirch gave him a casual wave and Verde nodded imperceptibly in acknowledgement, scribbling away as usual in his notebook. Viper merely inclined their head, still wary but noted Tsuna's presence in their own quiet way. It was a strange but comforting image, and that only made Tsuna feel even worse.

"You ready to go?" Lal Mirch said, downing her glass inelegantly. "We got a car now." She smiled crookedly, jabbing a thumb at Viper who was clearly displeased. "Thank Viper later. They're the only one with actual money. Loaded as hell." She gave Viper a pointed look at that. Tsuna had a feeling it must've been awfully difficult for Viper to part with their money but he didn't have time to think about that.

Viper huffed. "I expect compensation after."

Lal Mirch rolled her eyes. "Whatever." Before she could stand, Tsuna reached out and grabbed her hand, startling both of them, though the reaction was more subdued for Lal Mirch with her special suit on. A coy smile curled on her lips. "My, Tsuna, all you had to do was  _ask_. What is it?"

Tsuna flushed despite himself, ignoring some curious stares around him, and he was pretty sure Fon looked close to whisking him away from the spot. Swallowing his anxiety, he forced himself to speak, "I need some of your, um, flame stuff."

Verde paused in his writing. "Why?" His eyes flitted to the corner of the restaurant. "Is there something you need?"

Lal Mirch slowly sat back down, her eyes serious. "What's wrong, Tsuna?"

"Nothing you need to worry about." Tsuna sighed. "Just help me calm down, even if it's for two seconds."

"What's  _wrong_ , Tsuna?"

Alright, Tsuna tried. He fucking tried, okay? It wasn't like he asked them what  _they_  did all day. He needed a drink, he thought solemnly. Tsuna let Lal Mirch go. "Never mind. I'm good now." He didn't make any attempt to hide the bitterness in his tone. "Don't try to follow me. I'll be back in half an hour or so." Hopefully, sane.

But before he left, Lal Mirch clasped a hand on his shoulder and the familiar trickle of Rain Flames spread across his body. "Half an hour," she said.

Fon smiled slightly. "Or we will go to you."

Tsuna found all of this suspicious but just muttered "thanks" under his breath and left the bar. He was pretty sure the customers thought he was rejected by the beautiful foreign lady, which was embarrassing on its own if some men's sympathetic chuckles were anything **.**  Ignoring them, Tsuna straightened his shoulders, took a deep breath, and returned to Hana's table. The woman was halfway through her salad when he plopped down across from her. She placed her fork down on the plate with a small clink.

"Thanks for coming back," she said in that dry tone of hers.

Tsuna could feel the last wisps of Lal Mirch's Rain Flames leaving him but remained composed for the most part. He'd see how long that last. "What do you want, Kurokawa-san?"

Hana's lips slightly twitched. "You got some bite after all."

Did he really look that weak? Tsuna breathed softly through his nose, betraying nothing but a slight tick. "If this is about the Butcher case, then I have nothing to tell you."

"I told you, everything's off the record," Hana said.

"How can I trust you on that?"

"Sawada—can I call you that?" Hana didn't give Tsuna the chance to answer. "I just want the truth. I'm sure there are some things you want to know, too. The police hasn't gotten any leads so far with the current sprees but sometimes they get lucky." She fixed him with a pointed stare. " _Very_  lucky."

Tsuna's hand twitched with the need to grip something, anything, to anchor himself but he resisted. "And how am I involved in this?"

"You tell me." Hana laced her hands together above her chin. "As I said, I've seen you four times in previous crime scenes, including the one with Tachibana Chisa two days ago. I find it hard to believe how you're not involved. Hibari must've had some good reason to think you're useful enough to keep around."

"Is this the part where you say that you've looked into me?" Tsuna said dryly.

Hana huffed lightly. "Why bother asking?" She sobered up immediately. "Even if I did look into you, nothing really stands out. You're awfully average." She reached out for her cup of water and swirled it languidly with her hand, the motion elegant. "Though there was an incident that happened in high school that seemed pretty interesting." Tsuna tensed. "In your second y—"

"I apologize, Kurokawa-san," Tsuna said, "but that's not something you can use against me to talk."

Hana raised a brow but didn't push. "Okay. So then tell me, what do you exactly do for the police?" She glanced at the Arcobaleno sitting at the bar, unperturbed when they looked back. "Do they have something to do with it? Who are they?"

Tsuna briefly met Verde's calculating gaze before turning to Hana. "I'm not at liberty to say," he said, drawing her attention back to him. "And I'm not the one you should look to for answers, Kurokawa-san."

"You said that Ashida Megumi wasn't a suicide." The sudden change in topic made Tsuna jolt, but Hana didn't give him the chance to adjust. "She clearly jumped from the roof and there was no one else in the building while she worked overtime. CCTV footage showed no one entering or leaving the Rokudo Corp building. Tell me, what line of thinking made  _you_  think that is wasn't a suicide?"

"Ashida-san had a happy life," Tsuna snapped. "She had a fiancée, her friends and co-workers loved her, and her job was stable. None of them indicates that she was thinking of suicide or even depressed."

"Nakamura Keiji was happily married with two kids," Hana countered. "He had a successful business, was in the middle of a billion-yen contract in Saudi Arabia, his children stirred no trouble, and he hanged himself the day before his oldest daughter graduated from university. There's no telling what goes on in any of these people's minds unless you're a mind-reader. What makes you so certain that Ashida  _didn't_  jump willingly? She might have had her doubts and insecurities." She quirked a brow, challenging Tsuna to come up with a sensible answer of his own against that.

He bit back a sigh. How many fuck-ups was that today? He blinked and briefly saw Erisa's head staring back at him. When he blinked again, he was back at the restaurant, surrounded by the sound of clinking dishes and chattering customers. Hana stared at him blankly, not mentioning his small relapse. Tsuna was certain that she was cataloguing everything he did and said anyways.

"Ashida-san didn't commit suicide," Tsuna said.

"Why do you think so?"

Taking a small breath, Tsuna prayed that Kusakabe would forgive him for this. "She was missing her head."

He was a bit satisfied when Hana widened her eyes. "What?"

"Did you look into the next victim?"

Hana scowled. "No, you don't just move on from that. What do you mean her head's missing?"

Tsuna didn't bat an eye. "It's very obvious what I mean, Kurokawa-san. Moving on, did you look into the next victim?"

Hana narrowed her eyes but most likely sensed that Tsuna wouldn't budge. "Tachibana Chisa? Yeah."

"They were friends."

"I  _know_. They were childhood friends with two other women since elementary school." Hana scowled. "And I've checked this morning with Umeki Erisa but she's not in her apartment. Hasn't shown up to work either."

Tsuna pinched his leg to keep himself from giving it all up, that Erisa was dead and it was all his fault. He glanced at the clock to distract himself. Only 12 minutes had passed— _how_? For a fleeting second, he thought about excusing himself and going back to the bar where another hell waited for him. But maybe meeting Hana here was a small chance that he could right his wrong? Despite not liking her, Tsuna had some kind of grudging respect for what she did. He just wasn't sure if she had the capacity to understand or believe in the world he came from.

"There was an incident when they were young," he said.

Hana nodded. "Hit-and-run at a birthday party. Ashida's."

Tsuna shouldn't be surprised that she already knew. Guess she got most of her grounds covered. "Yes. Kageyama Ayame was killed back then. She had a twin sister, Aika, who committed suicide two months ago." Hana nodded, encouraging him to continue while trying to piece the information together herself. Tsuna's lips marginally twitched. She wouldn't be able to find the connection, and even if she did, she would dismiss it as too farfetched. "Ashida Megumi was the first one to be killed. Next Tachibana Chisa. And now, you say that Umeki Erisa is missing." It pained Tsuna to speak her name but it was a cross he was willing to bear.

Hana furrowed her brows. "They were all there on the day of the accident. What, are you saying that the driver suddenly wanted to finish the whole business of killing little girls?" Tsuna winced at the callous words but Hana continued anyways, "It's been more than 20 years since the accident, and plus, the driver is in a senior care facility in Tokyo. Has been for the last 13 years."

 _I don't see the connection_ , went unsaid.

"I've also checked in on the last woman, Ogawa Kasumi. She's in Korea covering a story." Hana pursed her lips, taking another sip of water. "Has been for the past few weeks. I haven't told her yet but she probably knows."

Tsuna sagged in his seat in positive relief. Good, that was good. Apparently, Grievers didn't travel long distances for their victims. That could give him some time to think about capturing Aika and preventing another death. His heart skipped a beat in his chest. He wouldn't mess up. Not this time.

"Back to Ashida, where's her—"

"When will she be back?" Tsuna said, trying to keep himself from sounding desperate.

Pursing her lips, Hana glanced at her watch. "Tonight. She should have landed by now."

Everything suddenly became cold. Tsuna felt every muscle in his body seize. "Where is she?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"What?"

Tsuna gritted his teeth. " _Where_  is she?"

Hana blinked, slightly taken aback from his hard tone, but quickly regained her composure. "Why? Does this have to do with—"

Letting out an aggravated groan, Tsuna abruptly stood up and dashed to the bar. They had no  _time_. He reached Verde first, making the man raise a brow but still look up from his notebook. "What's wro—"

"Ogawa Kasumi," Tsuna said. "She might've just arrived in Japan now. Can you track her?"

Verde glanced over Tsuna's shoulder before looking back at him. "Then I suppose it's time we leave."

* * *

Lal Mirch quickly took the wheel with Verde in the passenger seat. Fon barely closed the door in time when Lal Mirch stepped on the gas, pulling out of their parking spot and driving out onto the street, tires screeching. Tsuna yelped, falling over Viper's lap, and mumbled his apologies. After getting settled in-between them and Fon, he hastily put on his seatbelt while Verde brought up coordinates from his watch.

A picture of Ogawa Kasumi briefly flickered on the holographic coordinates. There was nothing remarkable about her. She was plain-faced with straight brown hair and wore horn-rimmed glasses. A blue dot pulsed on the map, tracking her movements.

"She's currently in Kokuyo," Verde said. "Most likely in a car from the speed she's traveling."

"How long will it take to reach her?" Tsuna said tersely.

"We're 40 minutes from her current location."

Lal Mirch sped through a red light, swerving the black van from getting hit by several honking cars. She looked all too lax at the wheel. "Make that 20," she said.

A pair of lips brushed against Tsuna's ear, making him jump. "Are you alright, Tsunayoshi?" Fon said quietly.

"I'm fine," Tsuna said, fishing out his phone. He paused when he noticed several missed calls from Kusakabe and a concerned text from Rei. "I just need to call Kusakabe-san."

The man picked up before the first ring. "Sawada-san, are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm  _fine_. I was at work."

Kusakabe had the decency to sound a bit ashamed. "Ah, yes. I apologize for—"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Kusakabe-san, but we need to get to Ogawa Kasumi now." Tsuna rocked to the side when Lal Mirch made a sharp right and muttered another apology to Viper when he bumped into their shoulder. "She just came back from Korea and—Where is she now, Verde?"

"Near an intersection on—" Verde paused.

"What?" Tsuna hissed. His heart threatened to burst from his chest and if Lal Mirch made another fucking turn again like that, he was going to scream.

"She changed course," Verde said mildly. "She's currently heading to Kokuyo Land."

"Shit."

"Language," Lal Mirch said, speeding past another green light. "Do you think we can get one of those police sirens on top? Probably make these idiots get the message that  _some people_  are in a rush."

"Don't run anyone over," Tsuna said, clicking his tongue.

"I'm sorry did you just—"

Tsuna quickly cut Kusakabe off. "Kokuyo Land. I think the Griever got to her. If you can, call for backup." He paused for a second. "I'm sorry for being rude, Kusakabe-san, but we need to save Ogawa-san and we don't have time."

"It's fine. I'll meet you there. Keep me posted, Sawada-san, and be careful."

"I will."

"Stop shoving your watch in my face," Lal Mirch said. "I can see  _fine_  from here."

"Perhaps I should've thought about installing a separate interface to connect with the car's windshield," Verde murmured, ignoring Lal Mirch's jab. "You should turn left here and take a local road. The traffic is heavy tonight."

Tsuna instinctively grabbed onto Fon's arm for purchase when Lal Mirch swerved left, ignoring the honking from other cars. He mumbled his umpteenth apology that night but Fon just smiled at him. "It's alright," he said. "I am here for you, Tsunayoshi."

"Don't start anything back there," Lal Mirch said, following Verde's calm directions.

Viper wrinkled their nose. "I'm not paying for any replacements or repairs."

Thankfully, they arrived at the abandoned amusement park before either of the Arcobaleno could respond. Tsuna quickly followed Fon out and looked around wildly to find Kasumi, but all he saw were run-down ticket booths, broken rides, and strewn trash all over the cement. A sudden presence appeared by his side. It was Aika, her eyes wide and terrified.

"H—Help her!" she cried out. "I couldn't stop her from going inside!"

"Can you show us?" Tsuna said.

Aika shook her head. "No! I can't! It's too scary!" She pointed towards one of the roller coasters and vanished. Tsuna took one step before Fon grabbed his wrist.

"What is your plan, Tsunayoshi?"

Tsuna gaped at him. "You're asking for a plan  _now_? We don't have time for this!"

"Viper can bring us there in an instant," Verde said, tucking his notebook away inside his suit. "Then we can go from there."

"No," Viper said. "I'm not getting involved in this."

Tsuna snatched their wrist with a glare. "You're here anyways. Take us there or else I'll strangle you in your sleep."

Lal Mirch snorted while Viper stared at Tsuna for a good minute. Finally, they sighed. "I expect compensation after."

In an instant, everything warped. Tsuna stumbled when they reached solid ground again, almost falling over if Fon hadn't kept him steady. The man smiled slightly at him. "Thank you," he said before sprinting forward.

Kasumi stood some feet away from them, clearly in a daze, when something flickered in the shadows. It was Aika, the Griever. Before it could reach Kasumi, Fon kicked it towards the Helix Loop, breaking several wooden foundations in the process. Loud booms echoed in the air as the coaster crumbled to the ground in shambles. A billow of dust swept across the area, transforming into purple butterflies before it could reach them.

Tsuna looked down to see that he was still holding onto Viper's wrist. Lal Mirch briefly patted his shoulder then summoned her gauntlet, launching a wire to jerk Kasumi back. Tsuna winced at the rough treatment. "Why couldn't you just— _Fon_!"

Three strange creatures leapt from a funhouse nearby, snarling and bearing claws; they instantly turned into bubbles before they could touch Fon. Viper clicked their tongue. "We're not alone," they said.

Kasumi groaned, blinking away her lulling spell. She widened her eyes as she looked around frantically. "W—Where am I?"

"No time for that," Lal Mirch said. "Take us out, Viper."

Viper pursed their lips. "I can't."

"What do you—"

Several growls sounded from all around them, making Tsuna and Kasumi flinch. Small dog-like beasts with long, squashed-up noses and no eyes crawled on top of the funhouse and game stands. Some crept from underneath the rubble of the roller coaster, snarling and snapping their sharp teeth. Kasumi whimpered and closed her eyes. Tsuna felt like doing the same but held his ground. He swallowed audibly, his throat clicking.

"They're Berserkers," Lal Mirch said tightly. Though her tone was leveled, it was the closest to anger she could muster while wearing Verde's suit. "How many people die in a damn amusement park? Don't even  _answer_ that, Verde."

Verde quickly took a hold of Tsuna's hand and constructed a green barrier around them just as the Berserkers leapt for them; they screeched in agonizing pain. More Berserkers bounded for them, slamming into the crackling barricade more furiously.

"I think a plan would be best," Fon said, still with that insufferable smile on his face.

"I'm all ears," Lal Mirch deadpanned.

Kasumi screamed when a Berserker leapt close to her face, only to be electrocuted by Verde's barrier. "W—What the hell is going on? What is that thing?"

Tsuna could only give her a sympathetic frown, not knowing what to say. Green electricity fizzed around the dome as more and more Berserkers slammed into the barrier like mindless drones.

"Why can't you just take us out, Viper?" Lal Mirch said.

Viper sighed. "There's something keeping us in. These Berserkers have been contained here for years." They frowned. "Someone has been luring them here. Berserkers aren't intelligent enough to come together like this or cooperate in groups."

"Did Aika know they'd be here?" Tsuna said.

"A—Aika?" Kasumi said, her eyes wide. "Kageyama Aika? Please, someone tell me what's going on!" She yelped when a Berserker rammed close to her head again.

"They were hidden well," Viper said. "Otherwise, the Griever wouldn't have chosen this place."

Lal Mirch narrowed her eyes. "Well, we can't stay here forever."

"Touch me, Tsunayoshi," Fon said, holding out his hand. "I can destroy them."

"And blow up the whole place?" Lal Mirch said, raising brow. "No point. They're just going to come back anyways unless you and Tsuna did us dirty."

Fon's smile tightened slightly. "Then do you have other ideas?"

"No."

Verde's jaw clenched when sudden hordes of Berserkers slammed into the barrier all at once. "I've only been able to hold up the barrier this long by conserving as much little space as I can. I'm not at full-capacity to keep it up any longer."

"Viper, distract them!" Lal Mirch said, gripping Tsuna's shoulder. "Got a count?"

Verde pursed his lips. "Now." Timing it right, he released the barrier, expanding it rapidly on all sides to push leaping Berserkers away and electrocuting them at once. His palm was slightly clammy in Tsuna's hand.

Viper raised their arm in a wave, letting airborne Berserkers fall into tiny black holes and transporting them elsewhere. "They'll come back," they said indifferently.

"There's too many to even purify," Lal Mirch said, aiming her gauntlet at more approaching creatures. "If we survive this"—she gave Tsuna a look that he ignored—"I want to get laid."

Several clinks sounded from her weapon before she shot a volley of bullets at the Berserkers. They hissed and shrieked as Lal Mirch shot a wire towards the balcony of the funhouse and leapt in the air. Fon brushed his fingers against Tsuna's hand and dashed forward to support Lal Mirch, spinning in the air to land a hard kick on a Berserker that tried to reach for her leg.

Sharp cracks emitted from the broken roller coaster before several wooden needles pierced a horde of Berserkers, pinning them brutally to the ground. They snarled and wriggled underneath the spikes. Fon hopped on them like small steps then landed in front of Tsuna in a crouch, startling him. "How much should I hold back, Verde?"

Verde glanced at Lal Mirch, who ran along the balcony railings and flipped onto the dingy roof, letting two Berserkers slam into each other in their over-eager haste. "Don't," he said. "I can hold it."

Nodding, Fon suddenly swooped Tsuna into his arms, making him yelp in surprise. "What are you—"

"Apologies, Tsunayoshi," Fon said. "I will need you for this."

Verde immediately raised a barrier around himself and Viper. Kasumi gasped and held onto him unconsciously, burying her face against the scientist's back. A rush of wind rippled through Tsuna's hair until Fon swiftly landed next to Lal Mirch on the roof. Raising a glowing hand, Fon aimed it at the Berserkers scrabbling futilely against Verde's crackling barricade and released a burst of red flames. Tsuna hid his face against Fon's chest, clutching onto him tightly. A dull roar resounded in his ears and he could still feel the heat of Fon's Storm Flames on his skin after they disappeared.

Fon hummed under his breath in mild approval. The dark gleam in his eyes made Tsuna involuntarily shiver. "I suppose that will do," he said. "We should leave before they regenerate again."

Tsuna glanced at the ground and cringed, wrinkling his nose from the scent of decay and smoke. Were Fon's flames actually like  _fire_? The Berserkers left nothing but scorch marks behind; most of them twitched their limbs uselessly like flailing fish and Tsuna could see some black sludge slowly moving across the cement, trying to come together again.

Fon and Lal Mirch both leapt to the ground and headed towards the other half of the group.

"Do we have anything on our current status?" Lal Mirch said, her gauntlet disappearing. "Anything other than we might've fallen into a trap?"

Verde briefly pulled up some holograms from his watch that prompted Kasumi to widen her eyes and step closer to get a better view. A small static sounded from the green screens. "This is a dead-zone. I'm unable to get any connections." He let the holograms disappear and dropped his hand to his side. "It's most likely a spiritual disturbance."

Lal Mirch pursed her lips. "Viper?"

"What?"

"You help us, we live, and you get money. We die, no money. So fess up. What's your reading?"

Viper sighed. Tsuna had seriously underestimated how much money meant to them. It was honestly revolting. "Other than our pathetic power levels, there's another thing keeping the Berserkers alive. If you look closer"—Viper brushed their fingers fleetingly against Tsuna's neck, making the brunet shiver against Fon's chest, and held up a hand to conjure a small glow of light. A twitching arm levitated from the ground and floated closer to it—"each Berserker is claimed."

Tsuna frowned. "What does that mean?"

"This is a Ravager's territory," Verde said. "Their claim mark connects them to the Berserkers, giving them control. There would've been no chance to purify them either way. As long as the Ravager lives, these Berserkers will keep coming back."

"So where is it?" Lal Mirch said, looking around the abandoned amusement park. "Enough games already. Cut the crap and come out." She narrowed her eyes. "We'll play  _nice_  and  _dirty_ , just the way you like."

There was no answer. Tsuna's breath hitched when he saw a flicker of Ayame in the distance. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Kasumi gasped, taking a step forward. "A—Ayame?" she whispered.

Suddenly the lights turned on with a loud clang, making her and Tsuna flinch. Low snarls came from the ground. The Berserkers were re-assembling again.

"Ayame, what are you doing?" Tsuna said, wriggling out of Fon's arms. Lal Mirch held him back by the shoulder. "Get out of here!"

Something long and black shot out of a dilapidated mirror house and wrapped around Ayame's neck, then wrenched her back. Tsuna's eyes widened in horror. The little girl screamed and choked, legs flailing, before the chain dragged her inside. " _Ayame_!"

"We need to move," Lal Mirch said.

Kasumi trembled. "W—Why is—What—Ayame…"

Tsuna gripped her arm to keep her anchored but she didn't react. "We have to go, Ogawa-san."

Her gauntlet reappearing again, Lal Mirch aimed bullets at the ground. "Viper, move us somewhere else.  _Now_."

The sound of engines throttled from their right before police cars drove inside Kokuyo Land and stopped short some feet away. Tsuna's blood ran cold. "The police," he said weakly. "I called Kusakabe here. We need to warn them!"

What was there to do? He had to protect the police but he also had to find Ayame. Nothing was going right. Kasumi suddenly wrenched away from Tsuna's grasp and dashed to the cars.

Tsuna's breath hitched. "No, wait!" Fon held him back by the shoulder. The soft snarls grew louder.

Viper clicked their tongue. "Now we're all stuck here."

Kusakabe and several police officers exited their vehicles just as Kasumi collapsed into an officer's arms, sobbing hysterically. "Take me away!" she said. "Take me home! Please!"

"Sawada-san!" Kusakabe said. "Are you—"

"Don't!" Tsuna said, but it was too late.

Lal Mirch sprinted forward just as Verde erected another barrier around them. The Berserkers launched themselves from the ground, claws gleaming, and snarled. They sniffed the air and Tsuna tensed then they turned towards the police. "No! Kusakabe-san, get away!"

Hibari met the scrambling Berserkers head-on with his tonfas. Gunfire and screams tore through the air. Tsuna couldn't tell which were human.

"Verde," Fon said before a small hole in the barrier let him free. It closed up immediately when he dashed towards Lal Mirch, who kicked a Berserker against a car, toppling both of them over.

Fon slammed his knee against another Berserker and disappeared in a blur. Blood spilled quickly across the pavement. Officers fell with terrified screams, the Berserkers tearing into them like wild animals. Tsuna turned to Viper with a glare. "Why can't you just make them disappear?" he said.

Viper betrayed nothing. "Because they're going to come back anyways. We've entered a trap and there's no way out for us until we find the one who's pulling the strings."

"They're  _killing_ them!"

"They're good distraction."

Tsuna could hardly believe what he was hearing. "Verde, why didn't you protect them with a barrier?"

"I can't keep up more than one barrier without risking poor stability," Verde said dryly.

Tsuna yelped when Lal Mirch suddenly appeared and dumped an unconscious Kasumi inside the barrier. "I'm borrowing some juice, Verde," she said, grabbing Tsuna and hauling him over her shoulder. "Hold off a bit."

The brunet yelped when she leapt into the air, booting a Berserker away. She landed on top of a police car, crushing the hood, and tossed Tsuna to Fon, who was already waiting for him. As soon as they traded, they separated in different directions, letting some Berserkers follow their trail. In a nauseating rush of speed, Fon kicked a Berserker towards a small horde, knocking them away from several fallen officers. Tsuna paled at the protruding bones and spilled guts. Half of the officers were already dead.

"We can't keep this up," Lal Mirch said, appearing briefly at their side. Her hair was wildly wind-swept. She aimed her gauntlet at the Berserkers and fired several bullets, making them hiss. "It's better if we leave them, Tsuna."

"What?" Tsuna croaked out as Fon landed on the ground. "We can't."

Lal Mirch gave him a look. "We should leave them. There's nothing we can do. We're useless since we're not Harmonized and throwing you around like a sack of potatoes clearly isn't working. We got what you wanted." She gestured at Kasumi behind Verde's quivering barrier.

Tsuna stared at her, horrified. When he looked past her shoulder, he saw Hibari and Kusakabe still standing with a few officers, fending off Berserkers with their weapons. How could everything just go horribly  _wrong_?

"Help them," he muttered.

Lal Mirch raised a brow. "What?"

Tsuna wrenched himself away from Fon's arms and pushed the man towards Hibari's direction. "Help them!"

Wordlessly, Fon appeared in front of a bleeding Hibari, struck a Berserker with his palm, and turning elegantly to kick another horde away. Hibari briefly glowered at him before slamming another Berserker with his tonfas and a third one with a clever uppercut. The man sported a long gash on his side but still fought like a one-man army. Tsuna flinched when Lal Mirch grabbed his arm. "Miracles probably do happen," she said before hurtling him to the roof of the funhouse.

Verde's barrier fell as a swarm of Berserkers leapt for them. Tsuna gaped as they descended. "No!"

A strong arm suddenly caught him, pulling him close to a firm chest, before a sharp gunshot rang in the air. Several streaks of light pierced through the Berserkers, obliterating them in an instant. Their screams faded out with bursts of burning light, making Tsuna cover his eyes. His legs felt weak, and he nearly stumbled if the man holding him didn't support him by the waist.

"Chaos."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sniff* I smell a boss battle incoming… (And nothing's going right. Actually, it's getting worse.)
> 
> Thank you so much to my wonderful beta, nico, for helping me through this mess of a chapter! And also thanks to assasin8 for keeping me straight. :'^)
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


	8. Chapter 8

" _Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live for, great enough to die for."_ – Dag Hammarskjold

* * *

Colorful blobs danced sporadically in his vision after he opened his eyes. Tsuna hardly noticed he returned to solid ground until the arm around his waist tightened. Charred marks littered the cement where the Berserkers had stood. The others were unharmed. Verde stared dispassionately at the ground while Lal Mirch stepped forward, something akin to relief on her face. "Dramatic as always, Reborn," she said.

The suited man huffed under his breath. "I was merely passing by." His deep voice caused shivers to crawl up Tsuna's spine.

Lal Mirch pursed her lips. "Well, I guess your theatrics were useful this time."

"A simple thank you would've been enough."

Slowly, Tsuna looked down at the arm around his waist; a large hand was splayed across his stomach, displaying deft, pale fingers. His gaze then trailed aloft to curly sideburns and a fedora that obscured most of the man's face; however, Tsuna could see a dim golden glow in his obsidian eyes. They were…strangely appealing. He flushed when Reborn's lips quirked into a knowing smirk, like he knew what he was thinking. Somehow regaining composure, Tsuna hastily worked on getting out of the man's hold. His hand didn't even budge.

Verde fixed his glasses calmly. "Even with Reborn's mildly impressive work, the Berserkers will spawn again." He ignored Reborn's narrowed eyes and looked to the mirror house. "We're stuck here unless we eliminate the source. The Ravager is most likely in there."

"It's suicide," Viper said. "The most we can do is stall them, then die. Is that what you prefer?"

Fon's smile stiffened. "Your negativity is quite unappreciated."

"I'm only stating the truth."

Tsuna tensed when Reborn's grip tightened around him. He fidgeted but it was still futile to escape. "Why aren't any of you Harmonized?" the man said lowly.

No one could respond when a small groan sounded behind a crushed car. There was some rustling before Kusakabe struggled to stand, leaning on the vehicle's hood for support; his arm trembled from the effort. His suit was torn and small cuts littered his face and neck, a few deeper than others. Tsuna widened his eyes, remembering what Verde had said about Reborn. "Can you help him?" he said, looking up. "Verde told me about you, what you can do. You can heal." He flinched when Reborn gazed back at him. It went without saying that Reborn was the last person anyone wanted to mess with.

"And if I can?" Reborn said. "What will you do?"

"Sawada-san…?" Kusakabe rasped out, struggling to his feet.

Tsuna's eyes flitted towards the injured man when Reborn shifted in his line of vision, covering the detective from view. Lal Mirch inhaled sharply. "Don't you d—"

Tsuna gasped when Reborn suddenly dipped him. Rough lips pressed against his before a slick tongue slipped through his parted lips, cruelly drawing out a small whimper. Out of panic, Tsuna clutched Reborn's strong shoulders to keep himself upright, unintentionally bringing them closer. Reborn deepened the kiss, tugging Tsuna's hair back for a better angle. His skilled tongue probed deeper, harder, nearly suffocating him until all the breath left Tsuna's body. Heat coiled in Tsuna's stomach, becoming unbearable within seconds.

As soon as the kiss happened, Fon pulled Tsuna away, putting some distance between him and Reborn. When the other man licked his lips, Tsuna flushed, realizing what the hell just happened. Panting, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and was mortified when a dribble of saliva wet his skin. "W—What the  _fuck_  was that?" he said.

If anything, the yellow glow in Reborn's eyes grew brighter. "A kiss."

Tsuna glared. "Why would you do that?"

"It's best if you stay away from Tsunayoshi for the time being," Fon said. "That was very unnecessary."

"Very," Lal Mirch said, gripping Tsuna's shoulder. "Also, I found him first. That was hardly his first time." She just smiled when Tsuna swatted her hand away.

Unruffled, Reborn rounded the car and impassively looked over the injured but alive police officers. "Everything comes with a price," he said, swiping the air with a glowing yellow hand, "and I'm more than willing to teach you, Tsuna."

The way Reborn's voice lowered when he spoke his name made Tsuna inadvertently shiver. He glared at the ground, noticing the blood on his shoes. His hands clenched into fists. This wasn't the time to get caught up in something so ridiculous like a  _kiss_. He'd deal with that later, after they…

"We should get moving before the Berserkers come back again," Verde said, cutting off Lal Mirch's one-sided argument with Reborn. "Unless this is everyone's preferred way to go."

An officer with blood-smeared, cracked glasses inhaled sharply when he saw the horrifying carnage. "M—Matsuda?" he said, scrambling towards a gutted corpse. " _Matsuda!_ "

"Ando," Kusakabe said in a strangled voice; his effort in consoling the grieving man fell short when it landed on deaf ears. Two other officers stared on with hollow eyes.

Reborn clicked his tongue. "Ungrateful mortals," he muttered under his breath.

Tsuna averted his gaze when Hibari regarded him with stormy eyes. His chest tingled from a numbing pain. So much blood tainted his hands, thick and sticky. Everything was his fault. There was no point in denying it, in denying things that continued to strike his face like a pile of bricks. He clenched his jaw. Lifting his chin, Tsuna started walking back to Kokuyo Land, mindful of the bones and guts strewn across the ground, a hopeless, pathetic venture that didn't ease the tremendous weight on his shoulders. Each step brought him deeper in the abyss of his mind, where there was only blood and rot. He started this horrible mess, so he had to be the one to end it and face the consequences.

A hand gripped his arm. "Where are you going?" Lal Mirch said.

"Inside," Tsuna said, not looking at her. "We need to"—he took a deep breath—"We need to get rid of the Ravager. Verde's right. That's the only way we can leave."

"It's  _suicide_ ," Viper repeated.

"I don't have plans on dying," Reborn said, making Tsuna tense when he moved closer to his side. "And if that's your preference, Viper, I have no qualms on leaving you behind."

"Then what of the others?" Fon said.

Tsuna glanced over his shoulder at the mourning detectives. He hesitated for a moment when Hibari gripped his bloody tonfas, but managed to say, "They shouldn't stay here. We need to stick together. The sooner we get rid of the Ravager, the sooner we can leave and…" He let the thought linger in the stifling air.

"You mean kill," Reborn said, snapping Tsuna out of his momentary daze.

Tsuna narrowed his eyes, but faltered after making the mistake of meeting the other man's gaze. The yellow glow had faded out, leaving just obsidian orbs in its wake. "You knew what I meant," he said, his voice wavering when Reborn leaned down.

"Mincing words rarely gets the message across," the man said softly in his ear. "And being soft will get you killed." With an insufferable smirk, Reborn pulled away before Fon stepped in-between them. "I won't stand for a weakling as my Sky."

"Reborn," Lal Mirch said, "shut up."

Blood rushed in Tsuna's head. Before he could stop himself, his lips moved on their accord, "Then I'll drag you down with me, and we'll  _both_  suffer." The spiteful words were horrible, but the flicker of surprise in Reborn's eyes was more satisfying. Tsuna turned away with Lal Mirch and Fon at his heels. "And I get it, I  _know_. I'm sorry for all the shit that happened, I'm sorry for putting everything off, but when this is over, if we pull through…I'll do it."

"Do what?" Lal Mirch said as more footsteps trailed behind them.

"You know what I mean," Tsuna said through gritted teeth.

"Then dying is not an option tonight," Fon said, sealing the unspoken deal.

Reborn huffed. "Dying was never an option."

"I'm going to drain every single currency you have," Viper said, clicking their tongue. "From  _all_  of you."

Verde crossed his arms over his chest. " _If_ we pull through."

Slipping his hand in his pocket, Reborn tilted his fedora up with his gun. "We will."

* * *

It didn't take long for the detectives to follow them, but Tsuna felt an uncomfortable pressure digging into his skin from their stares. He was too cowardly to look back. At some point, Kasumi had drifted to Kusakabe's side, sending wary glances at him and the Arcobaleno. Tsuna didn't blame her.

The mirror house was dark, with a dusty smell from disuse. Limp wires dangled from the paneled ceilings, which had large claw marks dented across the surface, and the floors were unevenly cracked with dark stains. At the entrance, a dingy cutout of a grinning clown held up a tattered sign that read, "Come inside and reflect on all the fun!" Tsuna ignored the dried blood that smeared the edges. Holding his wrist, Lal Mirch lead the front of the pack while Verde and Reborn flanked his sides. Fon and Viper stood behind him, boxing Tsuna in their seamless formation. Neither of them had discussed it; they just moved around like well-oiled machines and locked in place without argument.

After taking a couple of steps, Lal Mirch stopped, making the others pause with her. Tsuna opened his mouth to ask what was wrong until she said, "Tsuna, give me your phone."

Tsuna blinked. "Huh? Why?"

"It's a hunch, but I need some light."

Digging his phone out of his pocket, Tsuna handed it to her before she turned on the flashlight. Some officers gasped. Kasumi whimpered behind her hand while Tsuna froze. Unperturbed, Lal Mirch surveyed the shattered glass and rotting limbs across the floor. Tsuna almost couldn't move when she treaded closer and aimed the bright light at the empty mirrors. "I guess this saves us some time," she said, breaking the tense silence. "There's a door over there at the end."

A loud boom echoed behind them, making some of them flinch. When Tsuna turned around, he saw that the door had closed shut.

"W—What the fuck was that?" one of the detectives said.

"We need to remain calm, Sasaki," Kusakabe said tightly, drawing his gun. "Stay alert."

Sasaki scowled. "Remain  _calm_? Are you kidding me? I didn't sign up for this, Lieutenant. We're walking right into our deathbeds and it's all because of  _him_." Tsuna flinched when the man pointed at him. "We lost nearly all our comrades to those  _monsters_! Why the hell should we even bother helping him, huh?"

The officer recoiled when Fon gave him a thin smile. "You are becoming insufferably rude," he said, shifting on his feet. "I suggest you keep yourself together for your own safety."

Bristling, Hibari tightened the grip on his tonfas and stepped forward, ignoring Kusakabe's weak protests. "Watch your words, carnivore."

Fon didn't bat an eye at the intimidating gesture. Reborn merely huffed. "Keep your own brethren leashed and we will have no problems," Fon said.

Viper raised their arm to block Hibari from approaching closer. "We don't have time for this," they said with a hiss. "Stand down before I tether you both for the Berserkers to feast on."

"Pissing contest aside," Lal Mirch said, her eyes almost burning holes in Sasaki, "they should be up again by now. We need to get moving. Viper."

Tsuna jumped when Viper brushed a hand against his shoulder. The glass shards and limbs evaporated from the ground in wisps of indigo smoke; even the mirror frames disappeared, leaving behind a clean floor and large space before them.

"Who are you people?" Ando whispered, his eyes wide.

"Your ticket out of here," Lal Mirch said, tugging Tsuna again. "Stick close. We're not liable if you don't keep up."

Glaring, Hibari reluctantly backed off. The group's steps incongruously padded against the floor when the temperature abruptly dropped. Lal Mirch immediately aimed her re-assembling gauntlet at the door while Reborn grabbed Tsuna's other hand and levelled his gun straight ahead. The police followed suit, but relaxed their stances when nothing happened.

"Is s—something here?" the other officer said.

"Don't lower your guard, Kimura," Kusakabe said, his shoulders stiff.

Shivering, Tsuna frantically looked around the dark room, eyes darting from the dilapidated walls to the torn ceilings. They weren't alone, but he didn't know what he was looking for. Suddenly static buzzed through the intercoms before a cheerful, low beep. "Hello," an automated female voice said, "and welcome to Kokuyo Land's House of Mirrors. Please enjoy your stay and always with a smile on your f—"

Tsuna winced when Reborn shot the speakers with terrifying precision; the gunshots rang painfully in his ears. Reborn didn't lower his gun. "I'm not in the mood for your games," he said.

Sasaki furrowed his brows. "Who are you talkin—"

A muffled sob came from the other side of the door. "Help me, please…"

Tsuna widened his eyes. "Ayame!" He stopped short when Reborn pulled him back. "Ayame, are you okay?"

"A—Ayame?" Kasumi said, her eyes wide.

Ayame suddenly screeched. " _Help me_! It hurts! Everything hurts!  _Please_!"

Then silence fell. Tsuna's heart threatened to burst from his chest. Everything felt horribly cold. "Ayame…?"

"Oh dear," a different voice said through the broken intercoms, warbled by static, "you shouldn't have done that, Mr. Handsome. Ms. Robot only wanted to say hi."

Lal Mirch narrowed her eyes. "Stop fucking around. Come out here and I'll show  _you_  a greeting."

The voice gasped but Tsuna could tell she was smiling; that didn't quell his nerves. "Ms. Blue, we can't have such language here. My friends don't like it. No, no, no, they don't."

"You have friends?" Fon said.

"Oh, yes I do, Mr. Red!" Chuckling, the voice suddenly deepened. "Would you like to meet them? They're really lovely." A small click resounded in the air before the door at the end of the room slowly creaked open. The voice returned to being merry again. "Watch your step!"

No one moved. After redirecting the light at the door, Lal Mirch sighed when she couldn't see anything past the inky darkness. "What are the fucking chances?" she muttered.

"We already came this far," Verde deadpanned. "However, there's a 96% chance we'll end up dead."

Viper clicked their tongue. "4% aren't odds I'm willing to take."

"At least it is not 0," Fon said.

Reborn slightly tipped his fedora with his gun. "It's enough."

"Wait, are you  _serious_?" Sasaki said. "We don't even know what the hell we're dealing with!"

"We do," Lal Mirch said, making the officer tense. "Just stay out of our way and you'll probably live."

Kimura looked at Kusakabe uneasily. "Lieutenant…"

Tsuna couldn't bring himself to look at the police or Hibari. Verde's probabilities weren't reassuring at all. If they walked through that door, there was no telling what would happen— but they'd be stuck here and most likely exhaust themselves to death from fighting off the Berserkers…

"I can't promise that I can keep you and the detectives safe, Kusakabe-san," Tsuna said quietly. "And I'm so sorry for everything that happened, but please, trust me this one more time. There's no other way."

Sasaki opened his mouth but shut up immediately when Lal Mirch glanced his way. Hibari was the first to move, breaking away from the group to approach the door with unwavering strides. "It doesn't matter what's out there," he said. "I'll bite them to death."

Kusakabe widened his eyes. "Kyo-san, don't!"

Hibari didn't listen. He walked through the door and vanished in the darkness. Lal Mirch raised a brow. "Well, that's one way to test the waters," she said.

Tsuna scowled. "Don't say that. We can't just leave him alone."

"D—Do you hear anything?" Kasumi said.

"That doesn't matter!" Sasaki said. "We need to back up Captain!"

Tsuna gaped when the detectives dashed through the door. Kusakabe trailed behind them. "Wait!"

A tense silence gripped the air. Tsuna didn't hear anything other than his own breaths. "We—We need to go," he said.

Lal Mirch huffed. "Fine." She led them inside, pulling Tsuna along, and flashed his phone's light around the unknown space when the device suddenly fizzled and cracked in her hand. They both stared at it for a moment. "That wasn't me."

Tsuna grimaced when she tossed it aside; the phone clattered on the ground. His eyes tried adjusting to the dark but he couldn't tell where they were or where they were going. Then, his breath hitched—a strange but powerful odor permeated in the air. It smelled of iron— _blood_ —and something else fouler that Tsuna couldn't name.

A booming clang sounded from above before a spotlight lit up a few feet away. Hibari and his men were thankfully alive and not too far. They braced themselves for danger but only made confused noises when a woman stood under the limelight with her back turned. She had long brown hair flowing limply behind her and wore a tattered red ballgown.

"You took your time," the voice from the intercom said, this time much clearer. "It's very rude to keep your friends waiting, you know. Very rude."

"It is also rude when you never show your face to your guests," Fon said.

The Ravager hummed, her voice echoing in the dark space. "Yes, you're right. Oh, I knew you were a wonderful pick, Mr. Red! But first, let me introduce you to my special new friend. She's very excited to meet you!"

The woman on the grimy red stage slowly turned around, making everyone tense. Verde gripped Tsuna's shoulder, and his hand immediately ignited with crackling green electricity. Kasumi suddenly cried out in shock before slumping to the ground. Horror struck Tsuna's chest in waves. The woman—No,  _corpse_  had Ashida Megumi's head, eyes wide and dull, stitched to a small, pale torso with rusty wires. The dress revealed her bare shoulders and crudely attached arms with the front torn, displaying a metal rod that the makeshift body was propped on. It had no legs.

"What the fuck…?" Sasaki whispered.

Kusakabe faltered in his stance. "T—That's Ashida Megumi."

Erisa's head flashed in Tsuna's mind, her blank eyes boring into his. He unconsciously stepped closer to Lal Mirch; she didn't move away, but her grip tightened around his wrist. Just this once, Tsuna could let it go. He needed some sort of anchor to keep him grounded.

"No!" A girl materialized behind the carcass in smoky wisps, with shadows obscuring most of her body. "Her name is Clara! Get it right!"

"Why?" Kasumi mumbled, clutching her hands to her chest. "Why is this happening? What did they do? Megumi-chan… Oh God… This is a dream, only a dream…"

Tsuna and the officers gasped when the girl, who looked no older than 15, floated closer to the corpse, revealing her gruesome face in the light. Her short red hair reached down to her chin where her lips curled into a horrid smile; thick wires drew them back, stretching out her grin, and exposed blood-coated teeth and gums. Red rings encircled her black pupils, and she wore a ragged, outdated dress that showed off her bare ankles and feet. If it was possible, the grin on her face grew even wider. "Clara's not my only friend," she said, raising her pale arms in a grand gesture. "There are so much  _more_!"

All the lights turned on. They were in some domed building with a performance stage, and the audience stands—Tsuna had to swallow the bile that rose in his throat. There were other corpses sitting on the benches, limp and crooked, all with mismatched limbs, eroded wires, and dull eyes. Every one of them wore clothes from a different era, European dresses and suits that looked too big or small on them. Some were children wearing matching gowns that hung from their lopsided chests. Kimura vomited to the side.

The Ravager narrowed her eyes. "How  _rude_. Don't defile my  _home_!" She thrust out her hand before a series of rapid clinks came from above. Chains burst from the ceiling, aiming for the frozen detective.

"Kimura!" Kusakabe said.

Lal Mirch released her gauntlet's wire and wrenched Kimura away. The shackles struck his spot with loud booms, creating cracks in the floor. The Ravager hissed, and the red rings in her eyes blazed. "Why did you help the cretin?"

"You're not in any position to be asking us questions," Lal Mirch said, untangling the wire from Kimura's waist and shoving him to the side.

The Ravager stiffened before suddenly reverting back to her cheerful façade. "Oh my, you're  _right_. I do apologize for that. Where are my manners?" She floated higher in the air and curtsied, baffling them. "My name is M.M. and this is my humble abode, where all my friends can live with me, too. It's lovely, isn't it? And I'm always looking to make  _more_." She elegantly twirled with a swoon. "Oh, when I first saw you, Ms. Blue, you were quite the exotic specimen and I just  _knew_  I had to have you. But then Mr. Red came along and then Mr. Green—I've never seen such beautiful people in my life!" She suddenly sneered, making Tsuna flinch when her gaze landed on him. "How you all fester and crowd around that revolting filth is beyond me."

Reborn raised his gun. "You've talked enough." He pulled the trigger, firing several streaks of blinding light. Tsuna closed his eyes from their sheer intensity, directing his face downward. Loud booms erupted in the air and even shook the ground beneath his feet.

When the light died down, Tsuna's eyes fluttered open before he slowly looked up. Reborn clicked his tongue when a high-pitched giggle broke the silence. Tsuna gaped as heaps of ash fell away from M.M. like chipped flakes. Some of the corpses in the stands were missing. "That wasn't very nice, Mr. Handsome," she said, baring her teeth more. "Not nice  _at all_."

Suddenly, Kasumi screamed when a haul of chains lurched her from the ground and shackled her against the wall, arms above her head and legs spread. Tsuna widened his eyes. "Ogawa-san!"

M.M. laughed. "Your legs are perfect for Clara!"

Another horde of shackles wrapped around Hibari and the detectives; they cried out in panic and struggled against their bindings, but were slammed against the wall with loud thuds, preventing them from moving any further. A green barrier swiftly formed around Tsuna and the others, and Verde gritted his teeth while the chains continuously thrashed against his crackling shield. "This won't be enough to hold them off."

"It would be a different story if you were  _Harmonized_ ," Reborn said, making Tsuna flinch from his piercing gaze.

"We shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place," Viper hissed. "This was all a mistake."

"Less bitching, more thinking," Lal Mirch said. "Fon, can you get close enough to restrain her?"

For once, Fon wasn't smiling. "Her speed easily surpasses my own, even with Tsunayoshi's help. She was able to shield herself before Reborn's attack could hit her."

M.M. laughed. "Are we in trouble? Oh, my poor darlings, strapped to that good-for-nothing wretch, and for what? I promise that I can give you so much more than he can. You can join my beautiful collection and even choose your seats! It's the most valuable invitation anyone can receive!"

Lal Mirch blankly stared at her. "Sorry, but the only invitation I'll take is getting in this dumbass' bed."

Before Tsuna could berate Lal Mirch for the unnecessary comment, M.M. started glowing red while her nails elongated into sharp, black talons. "Horrible, wretched  _guests_!"

Everyone cringed when she released a ringing shriek that shook the building. Lal Mirch and even Reborn momentarily let Tsuna go to cover their ears. Verde somehow managed to maintain the barrier, his hand nearly crushing Tsuna's shoulder. Debris crumbled from the ceiling, smashing against the fizzling shield, when M.M. let out another wail.

"Verde!" Lal Mirch said.

It was too late. The barrier exploded, flinging everyone back. With a yelp, Tsuna tumbled on the ground. Rubble scraped his skin and a sharp pain jolted through his back when he landed. He groaned, his body throbbing in agony; a jarring ring reverberated in his ears. His eyes fluttered, barely able to make out the blurry ceiling, but he forced himself to move as the dust settled. Struggling to his unsteady feet, he hissed when a piercing ache shot through his head. After touching his sore face, he drew his hand back to see blood.

Tsuna winced when he heard quiet groans around him and stumbled onto his hands and knees. His breath hitched. No, no, no, no, no, no. "L—Lal Mirch…?"

Unmoving, Lal Mirch bled from her head while lying on her side. Fon grunted as he struggled onto his elbows to support himself upright. Lips pursed, Verde covered a bleeding gash on his side while Viper rested their head against their hand, swaying a bit. Hissing under his breath, Reborn, who managed to sit up, spat some blood to the side near his strewn fedora. His eyes seemed impossibly darker when he met Tsuna's gaze, but the brunet got the message.

He scrambled to his feet and staggered towards Reborn, reaching out to grab the man's outstretched hand when M.M. suddenly materialized between them, making Tsuna freeze. Snarling, she raised her talon hand. "You need a lesson on touching things that aren't  _yours_."

Tsuna gasped when he suddenly flew across the room, then yelped when he crashed against the wall. The back of his head throbbed and his bones rattled from the impact; it was a miracle they didn't break. He coughed up blood, and slid to the ground, but a cold hand suddenly held him up by the throat. Rasping, he thrashed against M.M.'s tight grip, his hands groping uselessly at her arm.

The Ravager's eyes bled red. "They were never yours to begin with." Behind her, chains flew down from above and wrapped around the wounded Arcobaleno, lugging them up and shackling them to the wall. Tsuna's vision blurred. His lungs—He couldn't  _breathe_. Every nerve in his body screamed but he couldn't do anything, couldn't escape. "Why would they swarm around a useless imbecile like  _you_?"

In a blink of an eye, M.M. flung him at the stage. She laughed when he heaved in a deep gasp and clutched his burning throat. Coughing, Tsuna tried desperately to catch his breath; his whole body quivered, and everything around him was fuzzy. Someone said his name but he couldn't tell who. Breathe—he had to breathe. He groaned when some chains coiled around his wrists and pulled him up to his knees. His arms were spread across in the air and he barely registered what had happened until something sharp speared his shoulder.

A haggard scream tore from his bloody lips while M.M. giggled hysterically above him. "Look at you, wriggling like the pathetic worm you are.  _Disgusting_." She slowly dragged her talons down his chest, making Tsuna shriek louder. His muscles shredded easily from her claws, and visceral agony spread all over his trembling body like scorching fire. Hot, bright red blood dripped on the floor. Everything  _burned_. "There's nothing about you that's appealing." Shuddering, Tsuna whimpered when M.M. withdrew her claws from his chest and lightly jabbed his stomach. "What use are you? You're just a worthless sack of meat and bones."

Mind hazy, Tsuna blinked hard to steady his vision, but only saw tears plop down in his puddle of blood. He wanted to escape, pass out, anything to not feel the pain surging through his body in merciless waves. He almost wanted to die.

M.M. gripped his chin and jerked it up, forcing him to look at her. "Though I suppose your revolting presence makes them all the more beautiful." Tsuna hissed when her long nails dug into his skin, drawing blood. "Disgraceful scum."

"Don't touch him," a voice said lowly.

Gasping, Tsuna froze when he saw Verde glaring at M.M. with unnerving, cold eyes. He had never seen the man shed his indifferent visage before, and the look on Verde's face was truthfully terrifying. M.M. had different ideas. She trailed her claws down Tsuna's neck, her gaze unwavering in the slightest under Verde's chilling stare. "Oh, Mr. Green, it'll be alright," she said sweetly. "I'm just helping you keep your hands clean from taking out the trash. Please be patient. I'll be with you soon."

Verde narrowed his eyes, which glinted dangerously under the light. "You're not deaf from what I observed. Don't  _touch_  him."

M.M.'s brow twitched and Tsuna hissed when her grip tightened around his chin. Blood dripped from his cheeks. " _Excuse_  me? What right do you have to tell me what to do? This is  _my_  home,  _my_  rules. Why can't  _anyone_  appreciate wh—"

"I'm not repeating myself a third time."

M.M. snarled. The wires in her cheeks creaked, threatening to snap. "Why are you so  _difficult_? Why can't you see I'm doing this for you? For  _all_  of you? Now you've  _really_  done it. I'm going to teach you some manners, Mr. Green. I didn't want to lay a hand on you but your tongue will be the only exception."

"N—No!" Tsuna rasped out, struggling in M.M.'s clutch. "Don't hurt him, please!"

M.M. tilted her head. "Hah? Who said you could talk? You'll speak when you're spoken to, you little worm!"

Tsuna's scream reduced into a gurgle when M.M. slashed his neck. Distant voices buzzed in his roaring ears. Blood gushed in his throat, hot and heavy. Terror surged in his aching chest. Breathe, he needed to  _breathe_. The floor blurred beneath him. Why wouldn't his lungs work? He choked, unwillingly swallowing more blood. Too much, there was too much. His eyes burned. Was this it for him? He didn't… He didn't want to  _die_. What about the others? Kusakabe? Hibari? The officers? The Arcobaleno? There was no one who could save them, nothing  _he_  could do.

_I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…_

Darkness seeped in his vision, and Tsuna could only surrender.

* * *

When Tsuna's eyes opened, he cringed from the onslaught of bright light and stumbled back, covering his face. He froze. Wait…

He looked down at his hands, which were clean and unmarred by scratches, and patted his perfectly normal chest. Nothing hurt. What the hell…? Where was he? Was he…in Heaven? Inhaling sharply, Tsuna looked around his strange surroundings before his eyes widened. Tall white pillars and arcs emblazed with golden designs of different Flames embellished the empty space, and the floors had strange tiled designs he couldn't identify; yet they were oddly beautiful. The room looked like a chamber of sorts, an ancient one. He took a step back, then another. He'd been here before, but he couldn't remember when or how. A cold draft made him shudder until he heard soft murmurs behind him.

He whirled around and gasped when he saw three figures in gray cloaks seated on some thrones. In front of them was him as a child, small and quivering on his knees. Tsuna blinked hard. Was he dreaming? What was going on?

"Sawada Tsunayoshi," the middle figure said, his voice smooth, "you are a vast Sky for someone so young. It really is a pity, but we have no need for you."

Tsuna flinched. What…? When did this happen? He looked closer at his child self, trying to guess his age. Three…? No, four? He couldn't remember. Why couldn't he remember?

To the man's right, a more petite figure sighed, a woman. "Kawahira, that is not how you speak to a child."

Kawahira…? That name didn't ring any bells.

"He will not remember either way."

The third figure merely chuckled under his breath. "We've come to our verdict, no? Perhaps we should move things along before the boy cries for his mother."

Tsuna stiffened when they raised their hands. His child-self whimpered. "It is dangerous for you to remain in the world as you are," Kawahira said. "Do not worry. You shall live as was ordered by the Trinisette."

"You can prosper," the woman said gently, "in more ways than one, for your potential is limitless."

A white light illuminated the three figures as they chanted in a foreign, guttural language. Suddenly a voice—Kawahira—spoke behind Tsuna, "We do not have much time."

When Tsuna turned around, he was greeted with a gloomier chamber. The Flame engravings were cracked and fading, and there were only two robed beings in front of him. His breath hitched. "Who are you? What—What did you do to me?"

"Time is not kind, Tsunayoshi," the woman said. "You are on the cusp of death, and that is not something the Trinisette will allow."

Kawahira raised his hand, emitting a white glow. The woman mirrored his gesture. "Now we will see what kind of Sky you will be," the man said.

Before Tsuna could run, something inside him seemed to  _open_. He gasped when a rush of orange light enveloped his vision; his body felt light, lighter than he'd ever felt before, and some foreign power gushed through his veins. His heartbeat quickened, pulsing with the warm energy that flowed all over his body.

"Save them with your Dying Will, Sky Arcobaleno," both figures said.

Tsuna let the Flames embrace him whole. He didn't scream. He felt no need to. He was freed.

* * *

His wounds had already knitted back together by the time his eyes snapped open. Tsuna didn't feel cold or any pain, only an overwhelming sense of calm that consumed every inch and nerve in his body. Everything appeared clearer, and even his senses seemed to have sharpened during his short blackout. He heard Verde's ragged breaths overhead and sensed Fon's turbulent distress churning inside him underneath barely suppressed rage. Lal Mirch and the detectives were still out, and Viper had gone deathly silent. They scarcely breathed, but were still alive.

"Here you go, Mr. Handsome," M.M. said, floating high in the air. She giggled. "Why, you look even more complete with this hat here on your head. It suits you perfectly!"

Before Reborn could respond, before M.M. could even react, Tsuna wrenched his arms free from his chains, making them snap, and reappeared behind the girl in a blur. Without a blink, he knocked her away with the back of his fist, sending her flying into the walls with a loud boom. Harsh tremors shook the building and rubble fell freely to the ground. A gust of wind gently brushed Tsuna's hair from the distant impact. His face remained composed when he met Reborn's stunned eyes.

Screeching in rage, M.M. rose from the debris, her body glowing red. "You  _filthy scum_! I'll kill you, kill you,  _kill you_!"

Tsuna looked on dispassionately when snarling Berserkers emerged from the shadows, snapping their teeth. Some crawled on the walls, digging their claws in for purchase. Swiftly, Tsuna vanished, materializing in front of M.M. within seconds, and punched her in the stomach. Her eyes went wide as she let out a choked gasp, but Tsuna didn't let her up. He grabbed her shoulders and kneed her in the stomach, then seized her hair and chucked her away. M.M. yelped when she crashed into the ground, creating a long trailing dent in the concrete. She stopped short underneath the propped corpse onstage and glowered at Tsuna.

" _You_ —" She faltered when Tsuna blurred above her. His heartbeat remained steady when he gripped M.M.'s neck and held her up in the air with ease. "How are you even alive? I  _killed_  you!"

M.M. hissed when Tsuna's tightened his hold. "I'm not the one who will die." His voice was soft without inflections. Growling, M.M. lashed out, slashing his chest with her claws. Tsuna glanced down at the already healing wound. He didn't feel anything. "That was very rude."

Before M.M. could strike again, Tsuna stopped her arm and tore it from her shoulder as if it were paper. She screamed while her black blood spurted everywhere. Dropping her, Tsuna stared blankly as M.M. crumpled in a heap and gripped her bleeding socket. Her eyes flashed, and the red aura around her flared to greater heights. "I'll  _kill_  you!" she said, letting out an ear-piercing wail.

The building quaked viciously but Tsuna remained steady on his feet. Roaring, the Berserkers darted towards him in hordes like inky tidal waves. M.M. flew in the air with a maniacal grin that threatened to tear the wires from her cheeks. "You'll never be beautiful even in that state,  _scum_!"

Orange flames suddenly erupted from Tsuna's body as the Berserkers descended upon him. They squealed, instantly burning upon contact. The corpses in the bleachers ascended, then launched themselves at Tsuna. His Flames raged higher, incinerating them to ashes. M.M. gaped at him. "W—Who  _are_  you?"

She flinched when he leapt towards her, body still alight with fire. Her pained shriek was immediately muffled by his hand as he gripped her face. His orange Flames spread to her body, singing off her skin. "Their Sky."

Tsuna rammed her into the ground. A small explosion of smoke and debris shook the building again. The floor caved in, cracking underneath M.M.'s burning body. She choked and flailed underneath him, but Tsuna didn't budge. He slammed her head again into the ground. "Did no one ever tell you that it's rude to harm a Sky's elements?" He gripped her other arm and tore it out of its socket, making her scream. He didn't blink when her blood sprayed on his face. "You don't treat your guests very well. What an awful hostess you are."

M.M. glowered at him through the cracks of his fingers; her skin smelted underneath his hand and Tsuna could see the black hollow of her cheekbones. "You'll  _pay_  for this, you pathetic worm! I'll rip you into pieces limb-by-limb until there's nothing left but your disgusting lump of flesh! I'll feed it to th—"

She froze when a ghost of a smile graced Tsuna's lips. "Such crude language." He reached inside her mouth and grabbed her tongue, making her whimper. "We can't have that, can we?" M.M. shrieked when Tsuna wrenched it out, but he didn't stop there. Cupping her cheeks with both hands, he caressed the melting skin before shoving his thumbs in her eyes and tugging them out, drawing out another choked scream. "There. Now you're beautiful."

He stood up and let M.M. burn. She squirmed uselessly, with blood gushing out of her gaping mouth and skin dripping from her black bones. Her stifled screams echoed in the air before dying down into weak gurgles, then nothing. Her scorched marks among the piles of ashes were the only sign she had ever existed. Black blood dripped from Tsuna's fingertips but he didn't move to clean them. His calm high was  _invigorating_ , and when he felt his Flames slowly receding into his body, he swiped his arm in the air.

The chains that held the others captive instantly snapped. With some effort, Tsuna silently commanded the wind to cushion their descent to the ground. His Flames soon faded, and the world tilted when his legs gave out. Someone caught him in their arms, however his eyes had already closed before he could see who it was. Yet, he could sense something hot seep inside him and weakly latch onto his Flames, like a feather brushing against his skin.

The last thing he saw was a flash of yellow before darkness embraced him again.

* * *

There was no mark of time in the dying fields, or the ash-gray skies overhead. The grass and flowers had withered into the hard dirt, leaving only sparse patches behind. No wind blew, and the scent of metal, smoke, and strange herbs lingered in the air. Blood caked Tsuna's skin and clothes, but he didn't mind it. He simply sat at the hilltop and stared out at nothing. There was only one thing he was waiting for.

Soft footsteps padded behind him, though he didn't look to see who it was. He already knew. A quiet, bitter chuckle broke the silence. "So you live."

Tsuna briefly closed his eyes, inhaling the new smell of fresh, leaking blood. It wasn't his. "So I do."

"How did it feel?"

"…liberating."

Inelegantly, Luce sank on her knees next to him. She moved slowly, as if in pain, and some strands of her hair fell forward to obscure her face. "But there are parts of you that don't feel whole, hm? What use is a Sky if they are empty?"

Tsuna slowly reached up to grasp his chest. His heartbeat was steady, the even beats lightly thumping against his palm. "You can take them back." The words were weak but he spoke them anyways, holding onto the last bit of his delusions as long as he could. His grip was slipping. "Tell me where you are. You still can."

"There is no point," Luce said faintly. "The Trinisette has already acknowledged my death and accepted  _you_  as the Sky Arcobaleno. I cannot go against what fate has already told me."

"You knew." Tsuna's hand tightened around his shredded shirt. "You knew that all of this would happen."

Luce's lips twitched into a smile. "Not all of it. I merely picked the wrong pieces to put together."

"Are you really dead?"

"I am here, aren't I?"

That didn't answer Tsuna's question, but with Luce already resigned to her ill fate, there wasn't much he could do. The more cryptic her responses, the more frustrated he'd become. He wasn't here for riddles; he needed answers. "Then wherever you are, I hope you're free."

Luce barked out a harsh laugh. "Free? I won't be free from this prison, and even if I am, there will be nowhere for me to go _._ " A chill settled in the air. "Do you know how it feels to have your bond slowly chip away? Your heart grows heavier and your mind doesn't think about anything else but your elements. When will they come? How far are they? Are they searching for you?" She let out a shaky breath. "Do they still love me?"

"They looked for you for 10 years. That should mean something."

"It means  _nothing_." Tsuna finally turned to face the woman but the words he wanted to say got caught in his throat. Luce's right arm was missing, and her dress was drenched with blood. Slowly, she tilted her head, revealing dark bruises on her neck, and her lone eye stared back at Tsuna with contempt. "You feel liberated now, but soon you will feel empty as I'm feeling now, hollow and incomplete. The flame of your life will extinguish again,  _permanently_ , and there is nothing you can do about it. The Trinisette may have snatched you away from the hands of death, but what use will it be when you only carry the flesh on your back?"

Patience wearing thin, Tsuna loosened his hold over his chest. "I won't be incomplete."

His blood ran cold when Luce's lips curled into a smirk. "You already are. They are ready for you but you're not even ready for them."

"I am."

"Are you?"

Tsuna bared his teeth in a mockery of a grin. "Yes, because they're  _mine_."

The ground suddenly caved in, letting him fall. Luce's scornful eye wasn't the last thing he saw, but the flickering orange flame that ignited in the growing darkness. Tsuna reached out, unafraid, and held onto the only piece that made him feel alright, even if it was only for a short moment.

He never stopped falling.

* * *

When Tsuna finally came to, a small groan escaped him before his eyes fluttered open. Before his vision cleared, he blinked and stared at the unfamiliar ceiling. The only light in the spacious, foreign room was the sunlight that peeked in from the large windows, which were covered by long white drapes.

Despite his parched throat and heavy limbs, Tsuna didn't move for a long while. Outside, he could hear the fluttering of birds' wings, even as they flew far away, and cars that drove several blocks over. Only his eyes shifted around the room, slowly taking in the closed door that was too finely-crafted to be part of his small apartment, the clean, private bathroom, and the I.V. bag that stood by his too-large bed. He followed the dripline down to his hand. It was clean. His clothes were replaced with a big white shirt and some black shorts he didn't recognize. There was no trace of blood or grime on his skin.

Sighing, Tsuna slumped back against his pillow. He didn't feel much of anything. No pain, no panic, no fear—it was as if someone scraped him hollow from the inside out. He closed his eyes, breath hitching when the memories of what happened, of what he  _did_ , deluged his mind. His grip tightened around his sheets and a shiver wracked through his body. He did those things, he  _killed_  M.M.; however that wasn't the most alarming part. He had enjoyed it. He had enjoyed tearing her limbs apart, tossing her around like a ragdoll, and beating her into the ground. The orange fire that reduced her to ashes felt nothing short of exhilarating.

He wanted to vomit, to purge himself of the horrifying memories, to forget the calm, pulsing thrill that had overtaken his senses—but he couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to do anything. Now the larger part of him, the repressed fragment that had been freed by the strange people, gently nudged him towards the inevitable. He was now the Sky Arcobaleno, and unless he wanted to die, there was no going back. No, he thought, his fate had been sealed when he tried to help Lal Mirch the day they first met.

Seconds ticked by, then minutes, before Tsuna finally sat up and shuffled out of bed. He gripped the mobile I.V. stand, rolling it beside him while he headed for the bathroom. He wasn't complete yet, he thought vaguely. This was only a small part of him and that frustrated him more than terrified him. Neither sentiment was very welcoming. After washing his face with cold water, Tsuna steadied himself on the marble counter and looked up in the mirror. He didn't look any different aside from his pale skin, and his eyes were still light brown.

The floor was cool underneath his bare feet, and before he could leave the bedroom, the door swung open. Tsuna blinked when Verde stepped inside. The man wore some slacks and a dress shirt instead of a black suit. A green thread-like trail hovered lightly over his chest. Silently, he scanned Tsuna's body with blank eyes. "How are you feeling?"

Tsuna stepped back. "I'm…thirsty." His voice was hoarse and it hurt to speak.

He didn't protest when Verde wordlessly ushered him to sit on the bed. The mattress bounced lightly underneath him while the other man took out a cup from the bathroom cabinet and filled it with tap water. Tsuna accepted it with murmured thanks, downing it in one go, while Verde washed his hands thoroughly in the sink and slipped on blue gloves. He placed some sterile gauze packages on the bedside table before reaching out for Tsuna's arm. His hand was firm but gentle as he inspected the catheter. "It's good that it's not swelling or bruised," he said.

Tsuna quietly watched Verde carefully remove the I.V. drip with steady hands and placed pressure on the gauze until the bleeding stopped. "How long was I out?"

"Three days." Verde tossed the soiled gauze inside a small trash bin and taped a new one over Tsuna's arm. "You didn't have any external wounds but all of your organs shut down after you fainted. If Reborn hadn't been there, you would've died." He seemed to ponder for a moment. "The police as well. They're currently in the hospital, except for the ones that are deceased."

Tsuna tensed. "Oh." He looked down at Verde's green slippers. "How are you doing, Verde?"

"I'm fine." Removing his gloves, Verde pitched them in the bin. "Reborn managed to heal all of us while you were unconscious. We're relatively fine." He tucked his hands in his pockets. "Do you feel anything out of the ordinary? Any pain?"

Tsuna shook his head. "No. I feel a little lighter, if that makes sense. Everything seems clearer."

Verde nodded. "It's to be expected since your Flames awakened that night. Your senses will feel a little more profound than normal. I'd advise that you don't use your Flames too much until your body is fully adjusted. It took a severe strain when they were un-sealed." Something dark flashed in Verde's eyes before Tsuna could comprehend it. "If at any point you don't feel well, let me know. I have more than adequate knowledge on human medicine."

Flexing his hands, Tsuna rose to his feet against. "Thank you. And…thank you for…" He wasn't sure how to phrase it, but Verde seemed to get the message.

"There's no need to thank me. I didn't do anything. You saved yourself."

"You tried," Tsuna said, following him to the door. "And I kept her from hurting you."

Verde turned the handle. "You place very little value on your life, Tsunayoshi. I suggest that you re-evaluate where you stand." He stepped to the side to let Tsuna out first. "I'm sure by now you have some understanding of what you mean to us."

Tsuna grimaced despite his reddening cheeks. "Yeah."

They walked through well-lit hallways with soft steps. The white walls and wood smelled new until Tsuna picked up the lingering scent of takeout and tea from below. There were more rooms on the floor, but he ignored them in favor of walking down the spiraling stairs. This wasn't his apartment. This wasn't even a  _hospital_.

"Where are we?" Tsuna said, struggling to keep up with Verde's longer strides.

The man slowed down after a moment. "Our house. Viper purchased it so you wouldn't be subjected to scrutiny at the hospital. Also, your apartment was too small for us."

Before Tsuna could voice his incredulous thoughts, voices filtered in from the dining room, which was beside a well-furnished living room. Tsuna didn't hide his presence when he entered through the kitchen; however, he did pause for a moment to blink at the clean stove and large sink.

Suddenly the voices died down, and Tsuna braced himself before meeting the other Arcobaleno's gaze from a long, almost luxurious table; there were five empty chairs. It was hard to get a read of their faces, but strangely, he could sense a dizzying mix of relief, annoyance, and anger welled up in different increments within them. He blinked when he saw the different-colored trails that each of them had.

Fon was the first to speak, his lips curled in a small smile. He looked fine, if a little haggard, and wore his usual red garbs. "Tsunayoshi, it is good to see you awake. Are you feeling well?"

Tsuna sat down in-between Verde and Fon and kept his gaze down on the table, momentarily admiring the random, sparse patterns underneath the glass. "I'm fine."

"You almost died, Tsuna," Lal Mirch said. "I don't really think you're exactly 100% okay."

"No one can ever be 100% fine," Verde said, crossing his arms over his chest. For once, he wasn't writing in his notebook. "Just like how perfection is impossible to attain for any sort of being, man or god."

Lal Mirch snorted. "Really? You're going to start now?"

"I was merely adding my own input."

"No one asked, alright?"

Tsuna looked up then, silencing the two almost immediately. His heart remained calm when he said, "I did."

Fon tilted his head. "Did what, Tsunayoshi?"

"I did die." Tsuna didn't blink when a terrifying chill crackled in the air. "M.M. killed me. You saw it." He looked towards Reborn, who didn't shy away from gazing back.

Lal Mirch slammed the table with her fist, her eyes narrowed. "I would've fucking killed her with my own hands if I could."

Fon's smile disappeared. "As would I."

"Hey, Viper, could you make some kind of fak—"

"You know my usual rate," Viper said, ignoring Lal Mirch's protests.

Tsuna rubbed his face, hoping to assuage an incoming headache, when Reborn finally spoke up, "What did you see?"

A brief moment of silence fell in the room. Tsuna took a deep, shaky breath as he closed his eyes. "I saw some people. Somehow I met them before, when I was younger, but I didn't remember. They mentioned the…Trinisette and did something. I don't know."

"What did they say?"

"Reborn, don't push him," Lal Mirch said.

"I'm just asking a question and I want a more than sufficient answer than 'I don't know'."

"He just woke up from a goddamn coma!"

"He's most likely still in shock," Verde said. "It'll take time for him to sort out the traumatic events, so it's best to leave him be and let him recuperate."

"We already  _wasted_  enough time," Viper interjected. "It's been more than a week since we found him and 10 years since Luce left. I don't know about you idiots but I'm not inclined to  _dying_."

Fury that wasn't his simmered underneath Tsuna's skin. He didn't want to feel it, even if he was angry himself, but this didn't seem right. He had never felt others' emotions this viscerally before.

"That is a shared sentiment in all of us, Viper," Fon said. "However, we have been through quite an ordeal that required some of our attention."

"You could've looked the other way. There was no  _need_  to get involved with their business."

"Hey, did you forget the fact that a Berserker almost  _killed_  Tsuna before?" Lal Mirch said. "If I hadn't been there, he would've died and we'd be dead, too."

Viper clicked their tongue. "What do you want, a  _medal_? What use is there if he's dead or not? None of you are even Harmonized with him. You're all dying anyways—we're all  _dying_  as we  _speak_ , and you want to give him more  _time_? Don't any of you fools understand the gravity of our situation?"

"If anything, it would've been better to let him die then," Reborn said. "He might've awakened his Flames much earlier and we wouldn't be here at the moment."

Lal Mirch outright growled. "What the  _fuck_  did you say?"

Nothing felt right. The discord, the throbbing fractures—Tsuna couldn't help but soak in their wild, consuming emotions. Desperately, he tried to parse through them, struggling to identify which belonged to him and which didn't. It was too hard. The thoughts in his head jumbled in a chaotic mess. Gritting his teeth, he stood up and slammed his fists on the table, silencing the room. "Would you idiots just shut the fuck up for once and let me  _think_?" His heart beat hard against his chest, and sweat broke out on his skin, but he didn't stop. He couldn't. He had to get  _rid_  of them. "I get it. We have no time and we're all going to fucking die. I'm not an  _idiot_."

Fon reached out for his arm, the motion drawing everyone's attention. "Tsunayoshi, c—" He froze when Tsuna glared at him.

"If you tell me to calm down, I won't," he said. "That's not how it fucking works,  _Fon_." The man widened his eyes but kept silent. "So now we're here. We survived that shitfest and I got one hell of a wake-up call, thanks for asking. I'm somehow the fucking Sky Arcobaleno and there's nothing I can do about it at this point. Harmonizing—I'll do it. I said I'd do it. Like Viper said, I don't think any of us wants to die. Are you happy now?"

A stifling hush blanketed the room. No one breathed, until someone awkwardly coughed. "Uh, is this a bad time?"

Tsuna pursed his lips when he saw a man, with tousled purple hair and a full leather outfit, holding two carton boxes of Starbucks at the doorway. There was a teardrop tattoo under his left eye and several piercings on his ear; one even connected to his lip with a silver chain.

"Read the damn room, idiot," Lal Mirch said, leaning back on her chair. She scoffed when Tsuna gave her a look, but didn't continue talking.

"So, can I…?" The man gestured vaguely at the others, making Tsuna blink.

"No one's stopping you," Tsuna said, making it sound more like a question than an answer. "Who are you?"

"You're late, lackey," Reborn said.

Somehow it clicked. "You're Skull."

The man's eyes went wide, as if he couldn't believe Tsuna actually knew his name. "Yeah, I'm the great Skull-sa—" He yelped when Reborn kicked him in shin. "That hurt!"

Reborn smirked. "That's the point."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "Don't hit him."

Skull waved him off while he handed Reborn his coffee. "It happens, boss. Oh, um, Tsuna, right? Here's your hot double espresso, Your Majesty. It's as black as your so—Agh!" He barely managed to dodge Reborn's second kick in time and stumbled against the table, nearly spilling the other drinks. "You fu—"

"Do you want to finish that sentence?" Reborn said, sipping his drink and pointedly ignoring Tsuna's glare.

Skull rolled his eyes. "No." He quickly darted towards Viper and made his way around the table. "Strawberry Frappuccino with extra cream. You're welcome by the way. The barista was an ass about it for some reason. Iced Americano for you, green gremlin. Lal, your dark mocha chip. Sorry, Fon, they ran out of your favorite tea but I got you the hot chai tea latte. Even if it sucks, please drink it. It'd be a waste. And uh…"

Skull stopped short of Tsuna, who stood still. The other man was a few centimeters taller than him, but there was something about him that made him seem small. The anger that had piled up in Tsuna's body slowly dwindled, leaving him only exhausted. Skull smiled sheepishly. "I didn't get anything for you 'cause I thought you'd, well, still be out." He shuffled on his feet, then held up the last drink. "I have a white chocolate mocha Frap if you want it."

Tsuna stared at him for a moment, making him squirm, before shaking his head. "I'm fine."

Lal Mirch cleared her throat. "You know, we were talking about Harmonizing while you were out, Tsuna."

"It was a very heated course of discussion," Fon said, taking a sip of his hot tea, "but we managed to come to an agreement with a majority vote."

Tsuna sighed. Of course, he had no say in this. Why did he even think that he would? He ignored Reborn's amused smirk and crossed his arms over his chest. "What?"

"You should sit down, Tsunayoshi."

"No. What's the verdict?"

Lal Mirch placed her half-empty cup on the table. "Since Verde had  _graciously_  pointed out that you'd be a little messed up in the head when you woke up, we thought that we'd back off a bit."

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "Back off?"

"You can choose," Viper said, "as soon as you're able, unless death is your preferable option. Even then, I don't think any of us will accept that." The underlying threat wasn't lost to Tsuna.

"You pick us in any order you prefer," Reborn said, his eyes glinting under the light. "But you have to do it now."

Tsuna's mind briefly short-circuited while something deep inside him faintly preened at the idea of being whole, being complete. "N—Now?"

Reborn raised a brow yet his smirk stayed in place. "I believe you just said a moment ago that you'd do it and that you didn't want to die."

Tsuna paused in his step. Reborn's gaze pinned him to the spot, reminding him of a dangerous predator. Any sign of defeat would only feed into the man's ego. "I don't," Tsuna started. "I don't want to die, but…is there really no other way?"

"If there was, we would've told you by now," Verde said. The words were unexpectedly more hurtful than Tsuna thought.

"We're doing you a lot of favors with this already," Lal Mirch said, scowling at the table. "And none of us want to die either so there's that." She smirked. "Don't forget I saved your ass the first time and I found you first."

"Not to mention that you were unconscious the whole time while Tsuna killed the Ravager," Verde deadpanned, scribbling away in his notebook. No one but Reborn and Skull seemed to notice Tsuna flinch.

Lal Mirch snarled. "If it wasn't for your pathetic shield, then I wouldn't have been knocked out! Plus, I was in the front!"

"And pitiably human," Viper said. "We don't have time for the dramatics. Tsuna,  _choose_."

Fon smiled slightly. "Do take some time thinking it over. We have all day."

Viper clicked their tongue. "You imbeciles with your fixation on time.  _We_   _do not have_   _time_."

"You know," Skull said, leaning against the wall, "it might be a good idea to let Tsuna put in his two cents. Just sayin'."

"Shut up, idiot," Lal Mirch said. "What the hell do you know? You just came yesterday."

Skull pouted behind his straw. "You don't have to be so mean about it."

Tsuna opened his mouth but Reborn immediately cut him off. "You said it yourself, Tsuna, and this is our ultimatum. Choose wisely." The man smiled, showing some teeth. "We wouldn't want another incident like with the Ravager, do we?" A shudder crawled up Tsuna's spine. He didn't want to go anywhere  _near_  Reborn.

Viper pursed their lips. "How much blood are you willing to bathe in the next time?"

"Okay, seriously, what the fuck, guys?" Skull said. "Are we in some kind of fake-ass melodrama or something?"

"Keep quiet, lackey," Reborn said.

"Oh, I thought I was an Arcobaleno too, but apparently not."

Before Reborn could move—it was so  _obvious_  that the man had his gun—Tsuna headed for the exit. "I'm leaving," he said.

The sound of scraping chairs clamored in the air. "Wait, Tsuna!" Lal Mirch said. "Where the hell are you going?"

Tsuna glared at them. "Don't."

Reborn narrowed his eyes. "Don't be an idiot,  _Tsuna_. We're offering you a choice to make up for your stupidity and it'd be right of you to take it. Do you really think you can just  _run away_?"

"Oh, thanks for reminding me." Tsuna walked forward and grabbed Skull's arm, making the man exclaim in surprise. "I already  _made_  my choice." He gave the stunned gods a nearly vicious smile. "I hope you don't mind us staying out. I like  _taking my time_."

With that, he slipped on his Converse at the spacious entrance and pushed the door open. Lal Mirch and even Reborn snarled at them from the living room, but didn't move any closer when Tsuna glowered at them. "You said I could choose," he said. "Don't throw a fit over something you agreed to, and  _don't_  try to follow us."

He slammed the door behind him and stomped down the steps, glaring at the smooth walkway. He didn't take the time to admire the neighborhood he was in or the large house. It didn't matter. He just wanted to get out. The sudden chilly air made him shiver as he rubbed his arms for warmth. The shirt he wore was a little thin.

"Shit," Skull said. Tsuna turned to see him unzipping his black jacket. "It's a little cold. Take this."

"What about you?"

Skull chuckled sheepishly. "I'm fine. I like the cold. Besides, you need it more than I do. Can't have you getting sick or anything. They'd kill me."

Frowning, Tsuna accepted the jacket. It was a little big on him, reaching a little below his waist, and smelled like spices and fresh air, but it was warm. "I won't let them kill you."

Skull flushed. "Uh, yeah, right." He scratched the back of his head, his lithe muscles flexing underneath his black shirt. "So what now?"

Tsuna sighed when he saw the Arcobaleno's black van in the driveway. "You don't happen to know how to drive, do you? I just need to get away from here."

A mischievous grin spread on Skull's lips. "Oh, I got something better."

When the man led him to a sleek motorcycle parked out on the streets, Tsuna didn't even blink.

* * *

At first, Tsuna wasn't sure if he should have his eyes opened throughout the ride, but he had them closed anyways and just basked in the rushing wind and the low hum of the engine. It numbed his skin, in a good way, and let him briefly forget everything that had happened. His arms were wrapped firmly around Skull's stomach; it was…strange. Tsuna could feel and envision Skull's violet Flames gently intertwining with his, though they weren't touching, as if they were nervous. The gesture was kind of endearing. However, Tsuna couldn't bring himself to deny that it felt perfect. Was this how Luce felt? How would it feel if he…got to the others? He mentally shook his head. He'd get there when he get there.

When Skull slowed down, swerving through rocky trails with ease, Tsuna let his eyes flutter open. Through the helmet's black visor, he could see Kokuyo Land coming into view ahead. Torn police tape fluttered limply in the wind at the dilapidated gates. Tsuna unconsciously tightened his grip around Skull, grateful when the man didn't say anything. Skull finally stopped the motorcycle and booted the kickstand on the ground before killing the engine.

Tsuna ran a hand through his hair after Skull helped him remove the helmet. He breathed in the crisp air and slowly looked around, tensing when he saw lingering wisps of blue light behind some trees.

"We don't have to be here, you know," Skull said. "And pardon my French, but I honestly thought you were crazy for wanting to come here—still do." He scrunched up his nose as he followed Tsuna's gaze. "They're harmless, but I don't know about the ones in there."

Inhaling deeply, Tsuna swung his leg over the motorcycle and unmounted. His feet were unsteady for a moment on solid ground but he didn't fall. "I have to. There's something here I need to check."

Skull rubbed his chin, then shrugged. "Yolo, I guess."

After placing his helmet on the bike seat, he followed Tsuna towards the amusement park. When they reached the tall gates, Tsuna hesitated when he felt a tremendous amount of lingering misery and despair. His knees almost gave out, as he slowly gave in to the hopeless void gaping inside him, until a hand gripped his shoulder. "Are you okay?" Skull's voice faintly droned.

"I—I'm fine," Tsuna said after a few minutes. "Just…there's so much negative energy here." He let out a shuddering breath. "I can handle it. Just give me a moment."

"Who are you looking for?"

Tsuna's voice softened. "Ayame, and her sister, Aika. She turned into a Griever after committing suicide two months ago. It's a long story." He blinked when he looked up at a thoughtful Skull. "Why?"

Skull's Flames stopped short of touching his, nervous again. "Oh, uh, well, before the whole 'oh my god our Sky is gone' thing, I had a pretty nice job." Skull grimaced. "Okay, well job's not the right word and it wasn't exactly nice. It was more like a duty? Anyways, all of us had our own responsibilities. Mine was escorting the spirits to Jura."

Tsuna blinked. "Jura?"

Skull nodded. "Yeah. It's the in-between realm that Viper rules over. They basically judge the spirits and decide if they go to Paradisus or Purgatorium. Even though I'm not at full-power right now, I can try to pick up wherever Ayame and Aika are. They shouldn't have gone far."

"Oh, I didn't know that." Tsuna looked down at Skull's gloved hand. "You can do it."

The confusion on Skull's face was almost cute. "Huh?"

"I can feel your Flames. You can just…do whatever you have to do and find them if you can."

Skull's cheeks turned a little red. "Oh, right. Yeah, sorry. I wasn't sure 'cause, you know, it's kind of a new thing for both of us and I didn't think you'd like me doing that after you went off on the others back there."

Tsuna's lips twitched into a smile. "I think we'll get along fine. Thank you for asking at least. You're probably the sanest out of all of them." He frowned. "At first I thought Fon was but…"

Skull winced. "Yeah, uh, everyone's a little screwed up in the head."

"Very screwed in the head," Tsuna deadpanned.

Skull chuckled. "Yeah, you can say that." His Flames felt slightly cold when they slowly entwined with Tsuna's, making the brunet inhale sharply, but they also seemed soft to the touch, barely there. "Sorry, it'll feel a little weird but it won't kill you."

Tsuna shook his head. "It just feels…different."

Skull smiled. "The good kind or the bad kind?"

"I don't know."

Skull just nodded, not pushing any further. With his Flames gathering some power, he surveyed the vicinity with paler eyes. Not a moment too soon, he pointed at the dense woods beside the park, right behind the destroyed Helix Loop attraction. "They're in there."

Tsuna widened his eyes. "Both of them?"

"If it helps, Aika isn't hurting her sister." Skull gestured towards the thick trees and guided Tsuna there, his hand never leaving his shoulder. "It's more like she's protecting her."

Tsuna frowned. "Protecting her?"

"It's a good sign. I mean, better than trying to rip her to pieces or something." Skull stopped laughing at the blank look on Tsuna's face. "Shit, sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

Tsuna rolled his eyes, but still huffed a small laugh. "It's fine."

The gloom that draped Kokuyo Land still tingled on his skin as they walked deeper in the woods. Tsuna focused on the cool sensation of Skull's Flames intertwined around his and found himself almost wanting to feel more. He mentally shook his head. He couldn't let his mind wander.

"Here." Skull handed Tsuna his drink.

Tsuna stared at the half-empty plastic cup. "I couldn't…"

Skull gave him a charming grin. "Just try it. It'll help."

Hesitating, Tsuna accepted the drink and slowly sipped the straw. The sweet drink settled nicely on his tongue before he swallowed. "It's good."

Skull nodded. "Yeah, it is." He didn't take it back.

Leaves and pebbles crunched softly underneath their feet, and the skies overhead were clear and blue. Soon, Tsuna sensed a colder shift in the air. He picked up his pace with Skull trailing behind him until he reached a small clearing. "Ayame."

He stopped when Aika, still deformed and grotesque, staggered onto her long limbs with a snarl. "N—No!" Ayame said, grabbing the Griever's leg. "Don't hurt him! He's a nice person! He tried to help me!"

"Ayame, are you okay?" Tsuna said, raising his hands in a placating gesture. He hissed when a wave of repulsion hit him full-force; though it wasn't as powerful as it should be, he still stumbled back against Skull's chest and curled his hands into fists.

"I—I'm okay," Ayame said. Her body was lighter now, more transparent, which was a relief. She was almost ready to pass over. But Aika…

"Aika-chan protected me, when I was stuck in the mirror. I—I didn't know how to get out but she saved me from the scary monsters."

Suddenly Skull whispered in Tsuna's ear, "You can help them, Tsuna."

Tsuna tried hard not to shiver. Skull was standing too close. "What do you mean?"

"Grievers are creatures with deep grudges and goal-oriented. Something must've changed for Aika after the mess you guys went through. Remember, they're also deeply connected to something or someone and for Aika, it's her sister, Ayame." After Skull pulled away, Tsuna almost  _missed_  the close-contact. He dug his nails into his palm to keep himself anchored. "I saw Luce purify some Remnants before. I think you can do it, too."

"How?"

"Oh." Skull hummed to himself in thought, acting way too nonchalant while Aika prowled forward, growling. "I don't really know how she does it, but try to access your Flames."

"The last time I did, I was dead," Tsuna said, eyeing Aika warily. "Can't you do anything?"

"Hey, I'm just the delivery guy. Alright, think of it as like opening a jar and reaching inside, when you're getting cookies or something. Pretty easy."

"Yeah, to  _you_."

Tsuna yelped when Aika lunged at them with outstretched claws, dropping his drink. Ayame screamed. "Aika-chan, don't!"

However, Tsuna didn't feel anything. He gaped as Aika simply phased through them and tumbled on the ground. Skull smiled at him. "We can do this all day until you learn, Tsuna. You've got me." The bastard was actually  _teasing_  him. Before Tsuna could retort, Skull continued like things were normal, "So open the jar and reach in; but don't take too much."

Aika growled behind them. "Skull, I don't think—"

"This will help Aika move on with Ayame, too."

Clenching his jaw, Tsuna wavered when he met Ayame's wide, terrified eyes. She sniffled. "Aika-chan didn't mean it. She—She just wanted to help me. Please don't hurt her, Onii-chan. This isn't her. She's just—She's just—" Ayame broke out into sobs, which only enraged Aika even more.

Tsuna flinched when the Griever phased through them again and screeched in rage. Finally, he closed his eyes and tried to ignore the anger and frustration that pulsed through his body. They weren't his. They weren't  _his_. Retreating far inside himself, Tsuna could sense the warm glow of his Flames humming in his core. Just a little, he thought, reaching through a thin veil.

His eyes flew open before he stepped away from Skull and reached out his glowing hand. Aika recoiled with a hiss but didn't run away, much less move when Tsuna walked closer. A small douse of calm spread in his veins as he touched Aika's head. "You're okay now," he said gently. "You're okay."

Soft orange fire ignited around Aika. She didn't scream. Instead, her form slowly dissolved into floating ashes, peeling away from transforming human limbs. Her gruesome face cracked away to reveal human skin and lips before she slowly fell onto her knees. When the fire died down, she looked up with teary eyes. Her body was transparent, almost fading. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to kill them. I didn't—"

Tsuna hushed her gently. "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, Aika. But for now, there's someone else who needs you."

"Aika-chan!" Ayame dashed over and flung her arms around her grown sister.

"Nee-chan…"

Ayame looked up at Tsuna with a small smile. "Thank you, Onii-chan." She bit her lip. "But what about…"

"You'll see them again," Tsuna said. "And from there, I can't help you. This is all I can do."

Aika closed her eyes. "I'm just glad to see my sister again. Thank you…"

Their bodies soon changed into glowing blue lights before floating away. Tsuna looked down at his hands and flexed his fingers. They tingled from the last of his Flames receding back to his body. He swayed a bit, feeling nauseous, but it disappeared within a few seconds. "Skull," he said, "I think the jar analogy worked. It feels kind of nice actually but—" A sudden presence loomed behind him; his breath hitched when he felt cool Flames snake around his. "Sk—"

A firm hand gripped his chin, tilting it up, before coarse lips crushed against his. Widening his eyes, Tsuna tried shoving Skull away, but let out a muffled grunt when the man pushed him against a tree and slipped his knee in-between his legs, spreading them apart. The instant Tsuna's mouth parted, a hot, slick tongue darted forward, immediately mapping out his warm cavern and tangling with his tongue. Something cold and hard clinked against Tsuna's teeth, but Skull swallowed his gasps with fervor and kissed him deeper, deeper than Reborn had before. An intense heat coiled tightly in Tsuna's stomach and hot, throbbing waves of  _want_  and  _need_  drowned him completely whole, plunging him into a sea of ecstasy.

Gripping Skull's hair, Tsuna pulled him closer, craving more contact, and kissed back harder. Skull groaned, making Tsuna buck his hips when he grinded his erection against his. Their Flames pulsed around each other  _perfectly_ , grappling each and every tendril they could reach with fervent ease. Finally, Tsuna pulled away to catch his breath, his chest heaving with every pant. His cheeks were flushed red while glistening saliva dribbled down the corner of his mouth. Skull trailed light kisses down Tsuna's slender neck, making him shiver. "You're beautiful, Tsuna," he whispered, his hot breath ghosting his skin. "So fucking beautiful."

A moment of clarity had Tsuna blinking away some of his lustful haze. Gaping, he looked down at Skull's mop of hair and gripped the man's strong shoulders. "W—Wait," he said, panting. "I don't—I've never—"

Skull gazed back with hooded eyes, which glowed vibrantly under the light. His lips curled into a lazy grin, causing Tsuna to blush harder from the alluring image. "Don't worry," he said, unbuttoning Tsuna's shirt with nimble fingers. "I'll take care of you. You chose me first, right?"

Tsuna looked away. "I—I didn't think we'd actually… _do it_." He shivered when Skull gently kissed his neck.

"Why?" Slowly, Skull left a trail of butterfly kisses in his wake down to Tsuna's exposed chest. "They told you what it means. You should know."

Tsuna bit back a moan when Skull removed his black gloves with teeth, letting them fall to the ground with a soft thud. "I know what it means just…  _Here_?"

Skull's eyes darkened. "No one's around for miles. And we both need this." Tsuna gasped when he brushed a cool hand against one of his perky nipples. "See? You want it too,  _Tsuna_."

The brunet let out a strangled cry when Skull suddenly latched onto his nipple; his wet tongue swirled around it in slow, languid circles while his piercing gently scraped against the bud, sending shivers up Tsuna's spine. Trails of cooling saliva slid down his skin, and it took every last bit of nerve he had not to come right there. Skull's hand pinched his other nipple, making him squeak. He quickly covered his mouth, mortified at the lewd noises he was making, when the sound of a zipper had him tense. "S—Skull?" he gasped out.

The man had lowered down to his knees and eyed Tsuna with a crooked grin. "You'll enjoy this, Tsuna. Don't worry." He placed an open-mouth kiss on Tsuna's black boxers that had him squirming. "I won't  _bite._ "

Gently, he tugged Tsuna's hard erection out of its tight confines, and with no warning, swallowed it whole. A broken gasp escaped from Tsuna's lips. He arched his back, unintentionally thrusting deeper in Skull's hot mouth. His hands muffled his choked moans when Skull's tongue swiped underneath his throbbing cock, his cold piercing almost burning against his sensitive skin. With the coiling heat in Tsuna's stomach tightening even more, his mind grew hazier while Skull sucked him deeper down his throat, barely winded. "S—Skull, don't—I ca—Nnh!"

Smoldering eyes looked up at him in an almost innocent fashion. Skull's hands tightened around his hips, keeping him in place, before they pulled down his shorts. Tsuna's breath hitched when Skull grazed his teeth over his cock. Their Flames grew tighter around each other in a mockery of an embrace, but it still wasn't  _enough_. Suddenly, the sound of a cap popping open reached Tsuna's ears. "Skull, what are y—"

A cold, slick finger pressed against Tsuna's hole, almost igniting his Flames in a frenzy. He gripped Skull's hair when the man cupped his balls with his other hand, massaging them with almost gentle care. Tears sprung up in Tsuna's eyes before Skull slipped a finger in—it felt strange, too tight—and swiped his tongue roughly around his cock. He was so close, he could feel it. "I—I'm going to—Skull, take it o—" Tsuna's mouth opened wide in a choked scream when Skull savagely hollowed his cheeks, eagerly swallowing Tsuna's cum spilling into his mouth, and milked him dry until there was no drop left.

Skull pulled away with a small pop, making Tsuna blush, and licked his grinning lips, the silver piercing on his tongue flashing under the light. "Thanks for the meal," he said, slipping another finger inside Tsuna's hole. A jolt of hot white pleasure shot through Tsuna's body when Skull curved his fingers right over his prostate.

"S—Skull!" Tsuna panted, trying to escape Skull's grasp. "Don't! It's too mu—Ahn!"

His legs trembled when Skull sucked a harsh bruise on his inner thigh; he scissored his fingers inside him, probing deeper and deeper until Tsuna was left a shaking mess. How could none of this still be enough? His Flames rubbed against Skull's, silently begging for more, their pulsing energies nearly becoming one. With a whine, Tsuna reached out to caress Skull's cheek with a quaking hand. "Please," he panted. "Skull, this i—isn't enough. I need you."

Skull froze for a split second before he stood up, his wet fingers slipping out of Tsuna's twitching hole and leaving him horribly empty. When Skull lifted his legs, Tsuna gasped and immediately wrapped them around the man's waist. Arms encircling Skull's shoulders, he groaned when Skull pressed him harder against the tree.

"You know, it's kind of pissing me off that you're wearing Fon's shirt," Skull mumbled against Tsuna's neck, nibbling on the skin with teeth and tongue. "My jacket looks good on you though."

Tsuna tangled his hands in Skull's windswept hair and moaned when he sucked over a pulse. "F—Fon?" He was so far in his hazy mind that he didn't register something hot and thick prodding at his hole, until it slowly pushed in, freezing Tsuna in place. Trembling, he looked down to see Skull's long cock impaling him at the tip. "N—No, take it out. Sku— _Mmph_!"

"You," Skull said, easily parting Tsuna's lips with his tongue, "drive me fucking insane." His hands parted Tsuna's ass, easily supporting his weight. "Did you see yourself?" He devoured Tsuna's whimpers like a starving man, luring the brunet's tongue in another frenzied dance. "Your Flames—they're fucking gorgeous." A strangled cry escaped Tsuna's lips when Skull thrusted inside him; the stretch burned, and he gripped Skull's hair, making the man laugh breathlessly. "You're  _perfect._ "

Tsuna cried out when Skull thrusted even deeper. Tears streamed down his flushed cheeks, wetting his swollen lips. It was painful, the stretch scorching him inside, but it felt so utterly  _right_ , leaving Tsuna wanting more, more of his Cloud, more of Skull. He needed that missing piece, needed to feel whole.  _Cloud, my Cloud, mine, all mine_ , whirled in a dizzying loop around Tsuna's head, and his Flames  _preened_  when Skull's started to merge inside his.

"Shit, you're so tight," Skull grunted against Tsuna's neck, nipping his skin. "Take me, Tsuna. Just take me. Don't hide your voice." He picked up his pace, slowly burrowing deeper and deeper inside Tsuna. "No one's here but  _us_." Tsuna almost screamed when Skull brutally rammed against a certain spot, sending white shocks of pleasure through his burning veins. Their Flames jolted, blazing higher. Tsuna could barely think. "That's right. Take me. I'm yours."

Tsuna's strangled moans and keens incited Skull to move faster, thrusting harder and harder against his prostate, until Tsuna was a babbling, debauched mess. "Skull, please! Mo—Ahn!"

Skull smirked when he kissed Tsuna's tears. "Anything,  _anything_  for you." Tsuna's eyes shot open when he felt Skull slowly grow bigger inside him.

"No, I can't!" Tsuna shook his head, his hands tightening around Skull's hair. "You're too big! W—Why—Ngh!"

Skull swallowed his protests with a brutal kiss that had Tsuna submitting immediately. Their tongues desperately twisted around each other, their Flames burning more and more as Skull thrusted wildly inside Tsuna, almost bestial in his frenzy. Saliva dripped down their lips, and when Tsuna tried pulling away for air, Skull easily chased after him, forcing his tongue deeper down his throat. Tsuna's muffled protests turned into a whine when Skull gripped his aching cock, stopping him from cumming. Pressure built to an infuriating degree in Tsuna's stomach, the heat searing his insides. Fuck, he could still feel Skull growing inside him, filling him to the brim with his large cock.

Whimpering, Tsuna tried biting Skull's tongue to get him to back away, but only got a vicious thrust in response, making him shudder. His Flames coiled around Skull's, pulsing with a growing warmth that made his skin tingle, then stopped, letting violet Flames engulf every inch. Tsuna couldn't breathe, but that only heightened everything around him, inside him; Skull continued assaulting him with an endless, bruising kiss, and unforgiving thrusts that drove Tsuna to the edge. Pleasure wracked through his body in large, unbearable waves; Tsuna was drowning, sinking deeper and deeper in the throes of Skull's lust, and he didn't want to leave. Everything felt too  _good_.

Soon, Skull shuddered inside him, but didn't stop. His hands gripped his ass harder and he pounded into Tsuna with reckless abandon, making him cry out against Skull's devouring lips. They were close, so close. Their Flames hummed around one another, content with the way they perfectly intertwined, and everything was just in reach. Skull came with a jolt, his hot cum filling Tsuna's clenching insides, and pulled away from Tsuna's mouth, letting the brunet release a moan when Skull allowed him to cum too. A trail of saliva bridged between their panting lips before Skull closed the distance and gave Tsuna a chaste kiss on the cheek. Their Flames purred, and Tsuna could see a trail of rich violet wrapping around his.

"I'm yours," Skull said breathlessly, pressing his lips on the corner of Tsuna's mouth.

Panting, Tsuna collapsed against the man with trembling limbs, mind fuzzy and blank. His eyes fluttered when he buried his face in the crook of Skull's neck and breathed in the man's musky scent. He smelled like sweat and wet smoke. "Mine," he murmured.

He felt just a little bit more whole.

* * *

Luce didn't appear in his dreams this time, but Tsuna didn't care. He watched quietly as an orange flame flickered above the palms of his hands, its warmth pulsing in an almost rhythmic fashion. Then Tsuna shivered when a violet stream of fire suddenly curled around his wrist, igniting his right hand. Instead of burning, it felt like cool fog. Tsuna inhaled sharply when it blazed higher before engulfing the orange flame whole. A content sigh escaped his lips. There was finally one out of eight.

Drifting, Tsuna felt reality slowly trickling in his senses. He groaned softly before sluggishly opening his eyes, blinking a few times when he realized how dark it was. He felt warm and snug underneath the comforter. The pillow he was sleeping on was also—Wait. His eyes widened. He was in bed? When he tried to move, he hissed from the aching jolt that shot up his spine. His whole body felt numb and his hips and ass were killing him. Wait. Wait, wait, wait…

"Go back to sleep, Tsuna," a voice grumbled against his hair. "Five more minutes…"

Tsuna buried his face in his hands, unconsciously pressing closer to Skull's bare chest. The god's arms were wrapped comfortably around his waist and their legs were intertwined underneath the covers. At least Skull was wearing sweatpants. Tsuna flushed when he remembered what they did. "Fuck," he whispered.

Skull chuckled breathlessly above him. "Round 2 already?"

"Shut up." Tsuna's hands muffled his hoarse voice.

"It was good, don't deny it." Skull shifted, pulling Tsuna closer. Now he smelled like fresh air and something purer that Tsuna couldn't name; it was nice, he thought begrudgingly. His Flames agreed with more enthusiasm.

Tsuna sighed as he pulled away. "Where are we?"

"The house."

"…do they know?"

He could sense Skull smiling while the man nuzzled against his hair; a low purr rumbled in his chest, making Tsuna blush. "Fuck yeah."

"I need to use the bathroom," Tsuna said almost regrettably. Skull was so warm and he fit perfectly in the other's arms.

"You can just piss in bed."

Tsuna wrinkled his nose. "You're fucking kidding me."

Skull laughed and finally pulled away to look at Tsuna's face. The god's face seemed much handsomer up close, his eyes a beautiful violet that shimmered in the dark bedroom. Tsuna couldn't help but reach out and touch Skull's cheek, brushing his thumb gently against the god's skin. He smiled when Skull nuzzled against his hand, their Flames humming from the contact. "I really need to use the bathroom though."

Skull grumbled in a foreign language before flopping over on his back. " _Fine_. Gods, I'm never missing that function again."

Tsuna rolled his eyes but carefully sat up, wincing from the uncomfortable throb in his hips. He was wearing a gray hoodie that sagged a little around his shoulders and barely managed to cover his ass. Thank  _fuck_  that he was wearing some new boxers. His legs were still sticky with Skull's cum and trembled when he tried to stand. Tsuna grunted softly when he fell back on the bed.

"Need some help there?" Skull said, shooting him a mischievous grin.

Tsuna scowled. "You're so fucking big, it's not my fault you almost tore me in half." He tensed when a hungry gleam glinted in Skull's glowing eyes. "Oh sh—" Tsuna tried to get away but his body strongly protested the sudden movement and Skull was much faster. He groaned when the god pinned his wrists beside his head and towered above him with a crooked grin. "Never mind the fact that we just met hours ago and barely know each other."

"Oh, I think we know each other pretty well at this point," Skull said. His piercing chain tinkled when he lowered his head and brushed his lips against Tsuna's ear, making the brunet shiver. "Now about that Round 2—I bet you're waiting to get filled by my big cock again." He left a trail of soft kisses down Tsuna's neck, then sucked on his tender hickey, his tongue lapping at the flushed skin when Tsuna moaned.

"Skull," he said, "don't. I need to go."

He grunted when Skull suddenly collapsed on top of him, his heavy weight nearly crushing him. "Why can't you just  _stay_?" Skull whined against his shoulder. "We wer—"

The doorknob suddenly rattled, making Tsuna flinch. Skull sighed, but there was a smile dancing on his lips. "What do you want?" he said.

The door suddenly flung open. Tsuna blinked rapidly when someone turned on the lights. A bout of silence passed. Skull didn't move to let Tsuna up while the brunet struggled to see what the hell was going on or at least,  _who_  was at the door.

Lal Mirch growled. "Skull, get  _off_  of him."

"Why should I?" Skull said, his eyes flashing darker. "Besides, we were just about to go at it again. If you want, I'll let you guys watch."

"You're all more idiotic than I thought," a new deep voice said. It reminded Tsuna of Reborn's, but it sounded softer, more refined. "How this fool could be the first is beyond me."

"Bermuda, shut up," Lal Mirch said.

Tsuna just let his head fall back against the pillow with a small thud. He was starting to regret everything all over again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :^)
> 
> ((Sliding some music links here that go with M.M.'s aesthetic: 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMKskuvJTcs
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o0WYiK52Dg ))
> 
> All the love for my wonderfully patient beta, nico~
> 
> Thank you for reading! Now I shall flee.
> 
> Little Miss Bunny


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